I wish I was a punk rocker (with flowers in my hair)
Performed by Sandi Thom
Written by Sandi Thom & Tom Gilbert
Viking Legacy Records, October 3, 2005

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
In '77 and '69 revolution was in the air
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

When the head of state didn't play guitar
Not everybody drove a car
When music really mattered and when radio was king
When accountants didn't have control
And the media couldn't buy your soul
And computers were still scary and we didn't know everything

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
In '77 and '69 revolution was in the air
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

When pop stars still remained a myth
And ignorance could still be bliss
And when god saved the queen she turned a whiter shade of pale
My mom and dad were in their teens
And anarchy was still a dream
And the only way to stay in touch was a letter in the mail

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
In '77 and '69 revolution was in the air
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

When record shops were still on top
And vinyl was all that they stocked
And the super info highway was still drifting out in space
Kids were wearing hand me downs
And playing games meant kick arounds
And footballers still had long hair and dirt across their face

Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
In '77 and '69 revolution was in the air
I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

I was born too late into a world that doesn't care
Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

A stupid realisation: applying to the Department of Foreign Affairs is not an automated process. Its not a lightweight process that you can shove to a minor thread while sumultaneously process other directives. Its a CPU hog that has to interrupt your main. I mean, one would imagine that you should be able to prepare those diploma photocopies, color-coded document folders, medical checkups, inspection by Department of Labor, clean record from the Police, etc., while leisurely doing a user manual and looking for Ad. Industry gigs, either freelance, full-time and anywhere in between, right?

...

I want to be a radio DJ for KIS FM.

...

update 10:16 AM 10/5/2006: Correction: I want to become a member of the KIS AirForce at KIS FM 95.1 Jakarta. Now that I have that info, how do I get there?

I'm making this list o' links in preparation of my installation of Ubuntu 6.06. Note that I'm making this list for me, so they may be quite technical, they may be in heavy English, they may be in heavy Indonesian, etc. Usual visitors of the mind-Dumpster, you have been warned ;)

• DistribusiDvdReposUbuntu, from wiki.ubuntu-id.org. A wiki detailing instructions on how to buy DVDs containing most of the official Ubuntu package repositories (in WinSpeak: application downloads). Useful in Indonesia, and other places where Internet access is more expensive than heck. In Indonesian.
• Ubuntu-id.org, a bunch of Indonesian Ubuntu enthusiasts. The originator of the above. Also in Indonesian.
• FREN, Ngenet yuukkss...... To get CDMA cellphone-modems to work in Ubuntu using WVDial. Also in Indonesian.
• Planet Ubuntu-id. An aggregator of postings from a few Indonesian Ubuntu enthusiasts. Mostly written in a thick mix of English, Indonesian, Geek-Hacker-L33t soup.
• Installing Ubuntu from Psychocats. A guide to install Ubuntu, with a focus on getting it to dual-boot with a previously installed Windows XP system. With screenshots (yay!)

That last discovery confirmed that I can safely nuke my Mandrake 10.0 install, which dual-boots with my WinXP production system (which I use for my professional freelance work), without understanding LILO or GRUB. I'm just that teeny-weeny bit closer to finally dual-booting my system with Ubuntu. Real Soon Now™...

Oh! And I almost forgot: FirefoxNewVersion -- instructions from the Official Ubuntu Wiki on how to install the Mozilla Foundation's version of Firefox in Ubuntu.

Its been a while since I last touched a Mac. About two months, I think.

August 25th. On my last day at Lingkom. Man, that was quite a sudden dismissal. Can’t exactly say I didn’t saw it coming though. But not so soon…

The argument goes that in the four months I was there I should have learned more than I have. But there’s the problem of my not doing anything but basic layouting. On me not coming to any photo session. On me not given anything new to learn. About art directing. Just small thingies…

And here I am. At a creative boutique at Kelapa Gading doing freelance copywriting. Supposedly to have a brainstorming session for a direct-mail and print-ad to promote some new fever syrup for kids. It turns out the quotation wasn’t approved so the project’s been put on hold. But no fear! There’s still this company profile that’s ready to go and we can brainstorm that. Tomorrow!

(To think that it takes Rp50 grand of gas for a round trip from home to here) (I really should go by bus; which at average workday traffic would mean about two hours on the road) (But it’d be waaay cheaper than taking the car here) (sigh)

Anyways, ain’t it cool that I’m writing a blog post using a Mac G5 running the OS X version of MS Word 2004?

Free internet; at least that’s about worth 50 grand, right?

So… to earn my keep, what can I talk about for a pagefull about an anti-fever syrup for kids?

Update Oct. 4, 2006 : See those strange question-marks at strange places? I used MS Word. I've read in the past that Word converts some punctuation marks into invalid characters when published to web. Here's proof, I guess.

Ok Rules, so I took my sweet time trying to develop a 9/11 article and came up with zilch. So instead, how 'bout some conspiracy theories? Hehe :p

CPNS Deplu 2006. The Indonesian Departement of Foreign Affairs has again started its annual recruitment. Mirror here.

Indonesian to English translators (and vice versa), check out this free (as in beer) online alternative to Linguist, called Kataku

Indonesian to English translators, especially young ones living in Indonesia and familiar with PC technology, undoubtably knows of the Windows translation application known as Linguist. Those wishing to buy legal versions could buy it at various electronic malls in Jakarta (for example at Ratu Plaza or Mal Ambassador) for about Rp 400 grand (last time I asked). Pirated versions are harder to find, but are usually copied person-to-person at computer-science institutes and universities. With widely varying reliability.

Over the years in my career as a freelance translator, I've entertained the thought an actual legal copy of Linguist. But with this free service from Toggletext, well...

Note to self: just as I have succesfully put behind me thoughts of 'her', I must now put behind me these following thoughts:

• That I have disappointed mom by being unemployed for so long.
• That I have been rejected from work a hundred times, and I will be rejected a hundred more.
• That I am tired of writing application letters, that I don't feel inspired to write them anymore.
• That I have burned so many bridges by being childish and unprofessional.
• That I need solid income, that money is tight in the house.
• That I don't have a marketable skill.
• That mom (and most every employer) seeks from me perfection. now.

I have to move on with my life. I am not the sorriest person in the world, if not for how sorry I am for feeling so sorry for myself. These bagages weighing me down, they're all in my mind. They don't exist.

Besides, I have a 48-page user manual to complete. And 4 pages of translations. And more work coming my way. God has blessed me with work. I can't afford to be distracted, 'specially not with silly PNS naggings.

And one more note for self: go to the bank Monday. Bribe mom to shut up about all this work bullshit with this month's shopping money. My brother has covered for this family long enough. High time I take on some of that weight.

Now back to our irregularly scheduled program.

Ok, that's it. I give up trying to dress it up and making it more meaningful. I officially declare the soft launching of my Indonesian language blog, Wacanaisme. Warts n' all.

I'll add a tag board Real Soon Now™.

(heck, I may even add a new post someday...)

From xkcd:

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To Randall: I'm hotlinking from your server, and since I didn't ask beforehand it could be argued that I'm "stealing" your bandwidth. But this does give you more Google-juice. I think. Anw if you don't approve just let me know and I'll upload it to my Ripway.

To everyone else: if you wanna support Randall, buy some xkcd shirts

(The cartoon is Copyright©2006 Randall Munroe; reproduced here under CC-by-nc 2.5)