Now working on…
Just to let you know…
I’m now working to put my personal page into PHP…For two reasons:
- make it dynamic (obviously) – and so add content more easily… i’m even thinking of adding an admin page, then to be able to directly edit and add content online, rather than depending from my computer
- train myself to develop in PHP/MySQL – i already have in mind the future developments i hope to be working on very soon
At the moment i didnt get really far. Im stuck on basic stuff, like internationalization and GET/POST when i click on FR/ES/EN. I know this should be easy but well… i dont really have internet at home, so i have to code without any help online. Its not easy…
I hope to have a first version running by end of November… and why not the definite one…
I’ll let you know when more information comes…
Nicolas.
The Zero Euro Experiment
Can you spend 0 euros during 1 day?
Controlling my expenses is one of my main concern here in Madrid. My salary is low (compared to what i used to earn in Belgium and what i could earn in France) and cost of life here in Madrid is high… i’ll come back on this in another post… Plus, i had the great idea to want to live on my own for the first time ever. And i’m in Madrid, meaning im potentially out every night, having a beer or 5 copas.
So yes, i have to control my expenses…
And today, in the metro, i was thinking… is it possible to NOT spend money during an entire day? I mean, 24 full hours?
Im not talking about, let’s say, stuff you pay over the course of a month or a week, like gas for your car, or a metro monthly ticket, or hot water, or your rent. Obviously we indirectly spend money every day, from dawn til dusk, having a shower, watching TV, commuting to uni or work, using the light to read a book before sleeping… We can reduce some of this expenses (go by bike, don’t watch TV,…) but there will still remain some of them. So for me, that doesn’t count, as we need to spend money even just to get the minimum comfort.
What i’m talking about is actual expenses, the ones when you get your little hand in your wallet, and hand out to a machine or a person your debit/credit card or your cash.
Think about it.
You want a coffee? Need to go to the coffee machine and buy yourself a coffee.
You are hungry? Go get a sandwhich at the supermarket on the corner of your street.
You are a social person and want to have a beer with some friends? Go to a bar and get something.
Its the weekend. You can have your coffee at home, your lunch at home, your dinner at home. But maybe, at some point, you will go out, have a walk. If you have kids, very probably they will want a candy or a McDo burger. If you don’t have kids, then you are young enough to want the candy for yourself 
… So during weekends, you would have other opportunities to spend money.
Oh, sure you can always find alternatives. Bring your own jar of coffe in a isothermic bottle. Or prepare lunch the night before. Or invite your friends home.
But to have a expenses-free day, you would have to do all of this the same day… And if you really think about it, its not that common…
I can tell you: since im trying to control my expenses, every day i try to remember what i spent and wrote it down. There are some days that i get very good at not spending… and the only thing i buy is the coffee in that coffee machine. Well, then i lost. I spent money.
I can’t remember last time i didnt spend anything. Just thinking about this makes me realize i could probably try harder, but thats not the point of this article.
So, what do you think about this?
Even without being a person who spends a lot, do you happen to have expenses-free day? Or do you always find yourself spending for something? Do you have any interesting tips for spending less?
Are you ready to take the challenge? Let’s set a day and try to spend 0 euros.
Nicolas.
PS: For those interested, go check out Leo Babauta’s blog. I used to follow it a year ago and its pretty good. You can go read this article called 20 Money hacks: tips and tricks to improve your finances but they are plenty others
La Bosnie, par mon frère à moi
Hey les gens!
Mon frère est actuellement à Sarajevo, en Bosnie; et travaille pour l’ambassade de France pendant 5 mois. (Je vais d’ailleurs le visiter à Sarajevo dans moins de 20 jours).
Si vous voulez en savoir plus sur la Bosnie, que ce soit sportif ou politique, allez voir son blog: mon frère est au coeur de l’actualité puisqu’il rédige des revues de presse pour l’ambassade.
Il racontera aussi ses rencontres, ses expériences, ce qui l’a touché.
C’est vraiment très agréable à lire (et je dis pas çà parce que c’est mon frère). Et puis, mon frère, c’est une personne qui, de ses propres mots, a « soif de rencontrer des gens de là-bas », et « de se laisser bousculer par la civilisation locale ». Il s’est mis au bosnien dès qu’il a appris la bonne nouvelle, il avait déjà des contacts par là-bas, il a un bon background journalistique… Ca promet des articles intéressants. En fait y en a déjà des très intéressants.
Son blog est ici: http://guillaume-daudin.info/blog/
Deux articles très intéressants: Jeunesse et militantisme en Bosnie-Herzégovine et Mostar, perle de l’Herzégovine
Nicolas.
Friends
If i tell you « Sometimes i wish i was a lesbian », or « And i just want a million dollars », or « I wish i could, but i don’t want to… »
Do you guess what i’m talking about?
Those quotes all appear in the pilot episode of Friends, the tv show… and in my mind remain ones of the best quotes ever in the history of quotes
Friends has been celebrating his birthday a few days ago…. The first episode ever (and actually, one of the best) was first aired on NBC on 22th of September 1994.
And it all started like this: Friends first opening theme
Yes, Friends is already 15 years old…
Can you believe it?? I never really realized and it just occurred to me a few days ago. I was a bit more than 10 years old. God, thats so long ago…
And you know what? Even 15 years ago, it is still so funny. This weekend, i casually found myself watching the 8 last episodes of season 2 (because i have no internet at home and already had those episodes on my machine)…. and i seriously found it really funny. There are some jokes or double-senses i discovered this weekend… like How do you want me to grow if you don’t let me blow… 
I don’t really remember my first episode of Friends… weird, because i totally remember how crazy i got the first time i watched South Park with Simon in Dublin (aaaah that Ninja episode, amazing one 
)... or when i finally said yes to my brother who wanted to show me How I Met Your Mother for so many weeks already… we watched the episode in my bro’s bedroom, on his laptop, and god that was a good start!… i remember the first episodes of Lost in Dublin as well, i was sooo excited to see what would happen next…
I remember sitting in front of France 2 to watch them, first in french… and then one day i decided to go for the original version, and i obviously never went back… i remember not being able to wait one week between each episode… i remember a Friends marathon on Canal Jimmy, we did it with my bro, the 24 episodes of season 6 in a row, i fell asleep for 2 or 3 episodes (the episodes that involve Jill, Rachel’s sister)…. I remember watching them on sunday nights while eating a bowl of Pasta, in my dirty room in building D in INSA de Lyon…
And this weekend, i rediscovered it… I rediscovered how funny it is… Without Friends, right now there would not be How I Met Your Mother or The Big Bang Theory… So i am now thinking to buy the complete box of DVD (10 seasons, 240 episodes, …)…and watch them ALL over again…. another old dream that i could achieve… i remember being so happy when i bought the first 4 seasons VHS box on Ebay…..
I know some of you never watched Friends, either because they were too young or because they started watching TV shows too late and directly went for Lost, Prison Break and How I Met Your Mother… but i strongly advise you to start watching Friends… I have a friend that just started, and he loves it!
And for those who are already familiar with Friends, go to the beginning. And watch it again. You will be surprised of how many new jokes you can get…
You should expect from time to time a post about Friends
Just got a new idea!
Hello there,
As you may have noticed if you are following me on facebook and/or twitter, i have just had a new awesome idea…
It is about developing a new Web application, available to the public… and thats all for the moment.
Sorry, i won’t give more details now, because i might eventually never develop it – after all i came to Madrid to enjoy bars, tapas and night life; not to stay home geeking. And the other reason is that i don’t want to be stolen the idea.
Ok don’t get crazy, i won’t create any buzz or something, but well, who knows… And i will definitely not make money out of it; but for me thats a way to do some IT development, and create something… at my current job, i’m not really challenged, so…
I will seriously start thinking about it when i get Internet at home… it will be easier to look up for more informations, and softwares and stuff to start developing. That will be in PHP, for sure.
So stay tuned.
Nicolas.
PS: i’m awesome.
