I’ve been using this pinkie-violet theme for 14 months with last re-design on February 2009. It’s time for refreshment~! From design (my hair no longer fits the bob girl illustration on header) to about page (the info there is so outdated now).

This isn’t another simply-redesign-cause-I-am-bore-with-the-old-theme. I am pushing it to be more than just a personal blog. Yes, after using this space to rant for 4 years, I finally decide that it’s time to grow up and to integrate my expertise here. Talk about branding and changing the content’s direction; not into extenze topic but design.

Bottom line, it’s been a work-in-progress for us since last week. Brainstorming, mind-mapping, analyze and plan all over carefully, etc. It’s been a while since we really take a deep look into what we have now. We often go with the routine and forget to see the bigger picture.

Well well, the roller-coaster ride has began! Time to grow and push the business further before we start on something new.

Two weeks ago my boy’s good friend was in town for a work trip and the three of us had breakfast together. His friend asked casually,”So how’s the freelance life? Good and loving it so far? Is it what you really want to do?”

Well, I absolutely loving my job and the lifestyle NOW. I mean, yes I am lucky that I get to work on what I love to do, I can have more than 12 days leave in a year, I have reached the certain amount of income that I set two years ago, I get to spend IDR1.800.000 (RM600++) on my hair which is impossible if I still work as 9 – 5 designer and so on.

But his question did make me think of so-what’s-NEXT? Is this what I really want to do for long term? The answer is NO!

People often says how nice our lifestyle and job is, being our own Boss, yadayada. The truth is, we are no different from people who slaves in their 9 – 5 job. Probably worse. We are the employer (Boss) and employee (slave) at the same time. It’s not a big deal as we’re enjoying the hard-work moment for NOW – which means face the computer for up to 12 hours a day, look for clients, do the design, coding, managing time, managing finance, cover from the start to the end of the project all by ourselves.

Now come the worst part, we are offering service, so when we are sick or away for vacation, no one will be working in the office and the income will be paused until we’re back to work. Bottom line, no work, no income; unless we hire people to do the job but we ain’t ready to build an agency yet. The downside of active income and freelance. No fix monthly income from the Boss and no yearly bonus too. At this point, I’m amazed at how my boy and I managed to travel average 4 times in a year. Whew..

As for now I can afford to face the computer for more than 12 hours a day, at least 72 hours per week, but not in the coming 3 years or when we plan to have Wong junior.

I envision myself to be able to enjoy the motherhood and at the same time having own business line which requires very little time commitment, i.e. not more than 12 hours working-time per week.

Yes, I mean passive income, where I can earn money while sleeping cause the internet is a sleepless world – 24 hours ON! Transaction can happen anytime.

To make it happen, we definitely need to sell our own products instead of offering services for the rest of our life. It could be joint health supplements, beauty products, shoes, anything. We’re aware for the challenges and hard time that will come during the first year or so. We’re so ready for it! After all, what does life mean without challenges and failures?

Well, I’m glad that my boy’s friend threw up that question. It might sound like a casual how-are-you conversation, but it helps me to stop and think of “what’s next?” – an important question that is overshadowed by the boring routine.

Ouh yes! My boy and I finally went for one hour jogging (though for me it’s more like 30% jogging 70% walking) after talking about it for months. Just bought the sport shoes on last week. We scheduled to have it once in two days time; which is Mon – Wed – Fri – Sun – Tues – Thurs – Sat and the circle repeats. Hopefully we can keep to the schedule and not turning it to once a week.

I’m not a sport person so this is a day to remember for me. Hey, the last time I went for jogging was on 2004 with my then-housemates. I had an unfinished swimming lesson few years ago and that’s it.

I know we aren’t fat at all, but doing physical exercise isn’t limited for fat people only eh? We are aiming for a healthier life, to burn the tummy’s fat and hopefully can build the leg’s muscle. You know how we spend most of our time sitting in front of the computer. Almost no sweat unless when the weather is very hot. This jogging activity is just a starting point. We’ll probably went to gym in the future.

More or less my working mood depends on the working environment. Messy table is a big no no for me. The same goes to my boy. Not only that, we also want spacious space, which is somewhat hard to achieve due to the size of our working table. But, there is always a solution for creative people like us. *cough cough* We took the time to realign the work station this afternoon. Next plan, might implement home security systems in the future. *dream big*

Here is our old work station which we set it up on last December, after we got the brand new table, chair, and laptop (mine). The old PC at left hand side is for my in law to play game.

My very own hardware-man was drilling the wall.

Here is how it looks like after the realign process. Shifted both laptop to the new upper stand so there is more space on the table. If you pay more attention at the items on the table, you will see that my boy is like hippopotamus in terms of drinking water.

Here’s a closer look of my working space. Few weeks after I bought that yellow pillow only I came across the pink checker version. KNS. But luckily can change the pillow case one. And the monitor on the floor… is on purpose; that’s where I put my feet on. Yes, we are rich like that, until using a monitor as foot’s stand – quoted from what my boy’s friend said. Hehe.. On a serious note, it’s because I’m so short that I need to put my feet on something and we couldn’t find any suitable items, except that broken monitor.

Well, the realign process not only gives us more space but also freshen up the working environment. Feel oh so good and comfortable!

Weather has been very weird lately. It can rain cats and dogs in the morning, then becomes so hot and sunny in afternoon or night time. The weird weather will not only make me easily falls sick but also make pimples growing on this face, and have to do home remedies for acne during weekend.

When it rains heavily in the morning, I will be very lazy to step out of the house for breakfast although we can drive the car to our usual breakfast place which is in walking distance only. It’s just something about rain and cold weather that brings up the lazy mode.

The easiest solution is to have a cup of hot Milo and breads with scramble eggs. Yummy! Then I’ll sit in front of the computer and eat while checking emails and plan out the working schedule for the rest of the day.