The Lady Programmer

Do you have special preference for folk-rock and acoustic music? I do, and I always love to listen to music as I go about my daily freelance programming and blogging duties.

I just got into Sites and Sounds where I took out a couple of songs that are related to these favorite genres of music. Those who are into country, ballad, pop, alternative and other related genre may also find some gold mine here. Give it a try – the link below should get you started with the site:

Get free music at Sites and Sounds

I’m not saying that this site is a repository of MP3 music – it is actually a great new blog that unearths lesser known artists that are hanging around iTunes and LastFM… Well, lesser known as they’d be they deserve to be given chances to be listened and appreciated. What I like about the music of these people is that their music does not get all worn-out in famous record stores. Best of all their music is free – probably because they depend more on the internet population to bring their music to the world.

Head over now and discover New and Free music at Sites and Sounds. You might even be surprised to be one of the first to listen to music before the artist gets to be known the world over.

I’ve been trying to do a new blog in my Friendster account and I discovered that the free version does not have the same flexibility as Blogger and WordPress sites. For one it allows me to upload only 50 pictures (if you’d notice I always place at least one picture in this blog and my other blog). I also only have 12 templates to dress up my site and it does not permit me to play around with the design of the site. I just can’t easily add a new widget or even add simple HTML text at the sidebar.

However the “upgrade” option is available in different plans. The free blog will cost me a banner advertisement at the top and bottom of the blog – I do not really like the one that I see on top. If I were to remove that I have to pay at least $4.95 per month to remove all the ads and let me place something on top. If I had to fully control the site (including the HTML) and purchase my own URL or domain I had to go with the Pro version that will cost me $14.95 per month. The billing agreement is by credit card (sorry Paypal users).

photo credit: bloodylery (SXC)

It is no wonder why Pinoys prefer blogging on WordPress and Blogger.

I’m sure Mozilla Firefox 3 is a hot download right now. It got over a million pledges already when I signed up a few days back. Now the guys behind Firefox are now inviting everyone to make this as the most downloaded software in 24 hours.

Here is a link to this awaited download, the file is more than 7 MB:

ftp://mozilla.isc.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/3.0/win32/en-US/Firefox Setup 3.0.exe

Are you using a Mozilla Firefox? I am a huge fan of as I go about my programming projects. I just received in my email that there will be a new version (Firefox 3) that will be out on June 17, 2008. As I am writing this post, there are already 1,280,362 pledges including myself to set out a Guinness World Record of becoming the most downloaded software in 24 hours!

The Mozilla blog briefly mentions all about this huge countdown. The button provided below should take you to the PLEDGE NOW page.

I realized that I am not alone in my quest to find bigger dreams than working away in the comfort of the office cubicle. I got to read a rant from a shy writer’s dream – of being around with others who did not really believe what this writer can do. I could relate so much to this writer because I am in full-time freelance programming and blog writing. Many do not understand the nature of the job because they find this kind of work unstable – it does not guarantee fixed income plus the benefits that accompany a full time job.

Earlier this day, I happened to read several rags to riches stories. The most inspiring one is that of Oprah Winfrey, who started out as a very poor abused girl in her early age. But that situation was not a reason for her not to succeed: she went on to be one of the most influential women in the world. In the Forbes List she is also listed as one of the world’s billionaire’s. Look at Bill Gates too, who risked finishing college to build the world-famous Windows OS.

photo credit: arochman (SXC)

Now who says getting employed is better than being in the business or the freelance world?