It's not an official holiday here in Vietnam on this special worldwide event. People celeberate Lunar New Year in Vietnam. It shall be fun and long days off then, but not now.

My mom rented a house in Hanoi to start a jewelry store. It's not my favourite thing to do. So basically, I'm stuck with helping her building a shop from scratch. I'm responsible for too much. I feel not ready and this stress me out like a rubber band. 

1. New Year 2008 WordPress Theme

Live Demo |Download

Celebrate new year 2008 with “New Year 2008 WordPress Theme”. Fireworks catchy header, will impress your readers.

Features:

• 3 columns
• 2008 new year theme
• valid XHTML and CSS
• widget ready
• premium design
• support WordPress 2.3.1
• also support WordPress 2.2

2. Get a Free Custom Theme for 2008

Contest Page

This is a contest. The participation need to write a post and link to that contest page, then leave a comment on that page to let the author know about the entry. Good-luck for people who decided to participate.

3. New Years Eve WordPress Theme

Live Demo | Download

New Years Eve Features:

• 3-column wordpress theme
• new year wordpress theme
• valid XHTML and CSS
• widget ready
• premium quality
• Works on the latest WordPress 2.3.1
• Backward compatible with WordPress 2.2

4. Free Custom WordPress Theme by Plainbeta

Contest page

No bull, it's another chance for you to get a free custom WordPress layout. It's another contest. This time its Plainbeta who want to gain so popularity in the blogosphere by giving away his time to design a beautiful theme for the blog that he likes.

5. Your own theme

Well, I tried my best in limited time to find 7 themes to match with the earlier post. Unfortunately there aren't as many out there, so... here end up only 4. Do you have one to share? Please leave some comment here to advertise it and I will include into my article.

So far I've been holding back writing and promoting my blog and asked myself Should I Migrate to WordPress MU?. Since then I made the decision to Migrate to WordPress MU and then finally Successfully Migrated to WordPress MU.

I've been showing this Christmas Days theme since 21 Nov 2007 and believe me I really got itchy when looking at it now. Perhaps it is a good choice for a start up blog for a simple look and feel while giving people a clue that Christmas is coming. However, theme become obsolete now. The themes from 7 Free Christmas WordPress Themes 2007 are much better than this.

The New Design

New Year is coming! I need some theme that can meet some very strict requirements. Before continue reading, please open Copy Blogger and Daily Blog Tips in new windows so that you can understand what I mean without having a headache. I want to make my blog look similar to those.

Header

Header should include

1. the logo/site name,
2. site slogan,
3. search box (wordpress or Google)
4. RSS feeds (nofollow links)
5. A horizontal menu that show pages by slug, not full title.
6. Sub-pages should go in drop down, or not shown at all.
7. And other must-have features that the designer thinks fit.

The header should have at least the following characteristics:

1. be lower to save space and possibly allow some 728 banner ad under it. Perhaps 100px height?
2. uniquely identify my blog from others.
3. encourage people to subscribe to my feeds.

The Body/Main content

The body should contain:

1. The Page title
2. Whatever content a blog should have

The body should have the following attributes

1. be at least 468px to fit that size of banner ad and photos.
2. preferably 480px or 500px.
3. Blockqoute should be blockquote.
4. Minimal modification to default styles.

The Side Bars:

1. One sidebar on the left to display most relevant stuff like pages and categories.
2. Two side bars on the right to display relevant links or advertisements. Possibly 150px wide to display 150x150 buttons.
3. A side bar below those 2 sidebars, which is as wide as both of them, to display longer links.
4. Should look professional while saving as much space as possible.

Widgets

Who dare to take a big challenge with widgets? If I will definitely break my way out to design some extra widget place holders such as:

1. the sidebars,
2. the whole pane right below the header,
3. above the post title, OR below it but above the fold
4. below the post content, but before the comments
5. below the comments, before the footer
6. the footer, so that I can change footer

Why? I hate modifying the themes to insert additional content. Do you? Drupal, DotNetNuke and most other Content Management System (CMS) have those, why the most famous one WordPress don't? Too much limitation cause lots of suffering for bloggers.

Every day I waste time on searching for plugins to do very simple job for my blog, still couldn't get satisfied. Then, I need to modify the themes. Then, I need to modify the plugins. They say WordPress require little tech knowledge, my use of it prove the opposite.

Additionally if possible, the theme should have options in the WordPress back-end Options page.

SEO Features

I'm not yet an expert in SEO, yet. However I do have some basic requirements to meet elementary level of SEO:

1. The site name must not be H1 for any pages other than home page.
2. Every page must have a H1 title, including archives, tags, pages, posts, categories, search etc.
3. All styles should be in external CSS file.
4. The lighter the better, so no unnecessary class attributes, use the ID attribute and nested HTML default classes to format elements instead. Example: Don't define a class "PostContent" when in fact the Content is under <div id="content"> already.
5. The main content goes first, then the side bars. No excuses for putting right sidebar in front of the main content.
6. JavaScript for menu? Good idea, but the menu must be written in HTML and dynamic by JavaScript, not use document.write.
7. Ajax? yes another good idea, but please make sure only for sidebars.

The Styles

Technically knowledgable about CSS in advanced level, I would like to have to following styles:

1. The less classes, the better
2. Use ID and HTML element ID thoroughly
3. Smartly format image and objects depend on alignment (barely seen).
4. The less images the better, but must have enough to make the site look neat and nice.
5. The images need to be optimized over 10KB is not a good file size. Consider the dial-up users and the 10s effect.

Am I too tough? The list above is only half of my requirements. If you think you are good enough, go ahead and take the credit. If you up for the challenge?

Free Custom Blog Design

Thanks to Quan Quach from BlinkDagger for writing Win a Free Custom WordPress Design! I come to realise that Brian Purkiss from plainBETA Design and Blogging is giving out a Free Custom WordPress Theme

Do I meet the requirements?

Contest Requirements

1. Must be a WordPress powered blog: OK
2. The desired layout must be a minimalist, web 2.0, like design: OK
3. The blog must be something that I like: OK, but does that mean your friend is reserved?
4. No logo design can be involved: OK, but does that mean you can't do graphic?
5. ‘Designed by’ link must remain in the footer: OK, if it is good then credit is reserved. After all that's the contest all about.
6. The blog already needs to be in existence: OK, you are reading it.

How to Enter

1: Write a post on your blog linking to this post ’selling’ your blog to me: Done

-Why should I pick your blog?

Answer:

1.1 Would you like to design some blog that set its goal to 10,000 subscribers? I'm thinking of expanding my blog to pagerank 6+. Wouldn't you like to get a link back from so high PR site? Then my blog is for you.

1.2 Would you like to design a blog of a fellow web developer and take some nice credit from doing so? Then this blog is for you.

1.3 Would you like to give a hand to someone who help other bloggers and web master live on his blog? Then this blog is foryou.

1.4 Would you like to take some high-requirements challenge and get well-known, instead of designing some simple blog just to throw your business card? Then this blog is for you.

1.5 Would you like to be recognized as a top WordPress designer and get known by the WordPress community? Then this blog is for you.

-What do you want the design to look like?

Answer:

As mentioned above. But I'd love to hear your expert advices if they work better.

-Remember, I have to like your blog in order to pick it. So what’s so special about it?

Answer:

At this stage it is not so special. I only help other bloggers to become better bloggers. I love to help others. So if you help me you are giving a hand to other bloggers, too.

I'm sure my requirements are higher than other bloggers, so will you take the challenge?

2: Contact me with a link to your entry.

Answer: OK, I will contact you after this.

What's Next

If Brian decide not to design my blog, I will end up spending some time choosing some free theme and customize it for my own use. Of course I will make it meet the requirements I set above. If I do, I will distribute it. If Brian does, I might ask him to let me distribute, too. So stay tune for the result.

Update 28/12/2007: I realize some requirements maybe too high for a standard designer, so I don't expect to find or get those immediately.

Meanwhile, Happy New Year and Holidays to anyone who have. If you don't celebrate New Year in your country, why not celebrate it online?

I wish everyone:

• enjoyable moments,
• happy endings,
• great holidays,
• easy jobs,
• lovely friends,
• kind relatives,
• more money,
• stronger.

Some beautiful new year wishes:

Hours of happy times with friends and family
Abundant time for relaxation
Prosperity
Plenty of love when you need it the most
Youthful excitement at lifes simple pleasures

Nights of restful slumber (you know - dont' worry be happy)
Everything you need
Wishing you love and light

Years and years of good health
Enjoyment and mirth
Angels to watch over you
Rembrances of a happy years!

Source: New year wishes from www.rosebriar.uk.com

If you are not Christian and do not celebrate Christmas and New Year, I wish you a happy holiday for whatever reason you are having. If you have some spare time, please kindly leave a comment here to let me and other readers know about what you celebrate.For myself, I did go out not really for Christmas, but on Christmas days. Those are not the happiest moments, but memorable.

Happy New Year music video

While you are here, why not watch ABBA sing the famous "Happy New Year" song?

My Wish List for 2008:

Even though the DailyBlogTips.com's Group Writing Project: 2008 Blogging Goals is over, I still will set my goals for 2008 so that everyone know. My goal by the end of 2008 is to be as popular as Johnchow and make as much money as ShoeMoney. For this particular dot name blog I want to set the goals to:

• daily unique visitors: 2,000+
• daily page views: 10,000+
• RSS subscribers: 10,000+
• number of weekly posts: 14+
• average number of comments received per post: 100+
• Alexa or Compete rank: 5,000-
• Technorati rank: don't know about Technorati
• Google Pagerank: 7+
• monthly revenues: US $10,000+
• backlinks: 10,000+
• search engine ranking positions: top 10
• popularity on social bookmarking sites: Stories featured on Digg, Mixx, StumbleUpon, Mashable and other major socia-media sites.
• popularity on online communities:
  2,000+ communities member on MyBlogLog,
  1,000+ reviews on BlogCatalog
  90+/100 rating on BlogCatalog

Sound impossible? I don't think so. It's only impossible if I drop on the way. Am I too arrogant? Maybe, but what's the matter with that, persistent is the key to success. Setting too high goal can either make me the A-list blogger, or drop me down to non-blogger. Anyway, I'm happy with the goals and might adjust it accordingly.

What's next?

My apologize I didn't complete the 10 Upcoming Posts - Set 1.

I still have too many more unwritten posts, such as:

1. How WP Super Cache Plugin Runied My Blog.
2. How .htaccess Ruin WordPress Login page.
3. How to Reset PHP Server From CPanel
4. How WordPress 302 Redirect Lower your SERP Score
5. How to loose valuable comments because of Popularity Contest.

and many many many more quality content posts to come.

I will also have to resolve the problems with photo hosting. I might open up a travel blog after that decision is made.

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Did you notice I have a category called "Official log"? That's originally the "Uncategorized"category. I reuse it and actually abuse it to become a off topic category. I am still thinking about moving toward writing more personal blog entry. I might keep this dot name domain for my personal blog, and move my professional blog into some dot com domain. What do you think?

I've been trying to put something about Christmas up but it seem of no help. It's not because I don't have any idea, but no time to write.

My when my girlfriend came back from Australia on 4th Dec. Since then I've been extra busy with a lot of things. I wouldn't mind having boring holiday times but since I have girlfriend now I want to spice things up a bit.

I might end up spending more time to go out then to write blog. But if my girlfriend support me, I might spend more time writing about Christmas and how people celebrate it here in China.

Yesterday I spent the whole day with my girlfriend and friends. We went to Zhuhai city center for some shopping. I notice Chinese people also celebrate Christmas. Every where I go I saw sign of Christmas decorations. I don't even know if they are Christian or not, but they sure take holiday as serious business opportunities.Have you ever tried Chinese McDonald? Yesterday was the first time I had a good drink from McDonald. There hot ginger drink taste great. It's been over 8 month since I left Australia so I don't know if McDonald there also have ginger drink.

Chinese people of course take their New Year seriously. However, I was surprise didn't see any New Year decorations. Now sitting in front of my computer I realise they celebrate Chinese new year, not this Gregorian New Year.

As a normal entertainment activity, I spend few hours playing mahjong. It is getting bored because I can't concentrate on playing to win the game. I'm so much distracted because I miss my blog and miss keeping in touch with fellow bloggers.

My new hobby is watching Chinese kungfu videos. This always was my hobby, but I skipped it for few months already. This time because my girlfriend come back and started watching video that's why I re-activate the hobby.

That's it for now. I will try to write more in the morning.