📌 Start here, a short guide to this blog/website
The main purpose of this website/blog is to share what I’m up to, thoughts I’m having, media I’m consuming, and designing and redesigning the site ad nauseam.
Two podcasts and why I read/listen to biographies
While listening to the How to Take Over the World episode of Rasputin, one of the plugs was for another similar podcast that delves into fictional biographies, it’s called Becoming the main character.
Both podcasts, synthesize books on real or fictional characters, to find the hows and whys people became great.
This led me to think about why I read biographies (mainly audiobook format), such as Teddy Roosevelt’s, Churchill’s, Napoleon’s, Hawkings’s, Feynman’s, Von Neumann’s and Gordon Brown’s…
I concluded that I look for alternatives that have not crossed my mind and special ingredients that these people may have that took them to a higher level in history.
We are all made of the same stuff, we all have the same 24 hours/day and roughly the same 30000 days/life, though some people achieve greatness, as per historical standards, and others just whiz by without a trace…
Please listen to these podcasts, I am currently listening to the Paul Atreides episode which is very interesting.
The Physical Internet
Click to open the source.
This visualization focuses on showing the physical structures and the three main objects that make the internet, IRL: data centres, internet exchange points and submarine cables.
It, of course, underlines the wealth and power of countries based on their access and infrastructure of internet services.
Made by Beatrice Bazzan and others.
Bookending
I recently read a post by Mandy Brown about a best practice that she incorporated into her routine.
She calls it bookending, as in the bookends that open and close the content of a book.
It is an SOP that defines a beginning and an end to the work day. It consists of the following steps:
1. At the beginning of your work day, start with a blank sheet of paper or notebook and visualise what the day will look like, before getting into the busyness of emails and notifications.
2. At the end of the day, close all the apps, shut down the computer, and review the day.
These simple steps limit and define your workday, especially relevant in a remote work environment.
This concept is something I’ve seen multiple times, though have not yet fully implemented it.
Many Brown -> Bookending
Sahil Bloom -> Power down ritual
Cal Newport -> Work shut down ritual
Colophon
Built with WordPress.
The font is based on a system font stack.
I designed and coded the website myself. (any tips?)
This website got an A+ on the Websitecarbon score.
The color palette is:
#233142;
#b0bec5;
#0277bd;
#FFD800;
How I work
1. Email is the best way to contact me. Chat, slack… just get lost.
2. I work M-F, 09.30-17.30. (Some time more, if needed).
3. If you need anything from me, please clearly let me know what is needed and when.
4. I prefer meetings after 10 am, and before 16 pm.
5. My time zone is GMT+2.
* Inspired by Jamie Tana and Melanie Richards
Pancho
This is Pancho, our dog. He’s a Spanish waterdog.
Pocketmoney
I read this post from Michael Karnjanaprakorn about he handles his girl’s allowance.
I think there are some great ideas, that I am taking for Lucas’ and Nico’s pocket money in a few years:
– How to set the allowance: weekly, 1€/year. i.e: 10 years, 10euros/week.
– Compounding: set an interest rate on savings, i=10%/year. This teaches them about compunding.
– Doubling savings: every year if savings are over 50€, double it to reinforce patience and savings.
This will need a spreadsheet, another great skill to teach.
A thoughtful and great approach on how to handle finance skills and allowance.
Dune Part 2
I enjoyed part one of the recent films of DUNE, honestly, I have not seen the old ones, so I can’t compare. I don’t like how old films represented the future (except Star Wars) though they made the best out of the available tools.
In the first film, I was amazed at how they managed to create such incredible recreations of the different great houses, how well it was filmed, how great the technologies (ornithopters, protective shields…) are, the story…
Of course, the second film still is great in all those regards, but it seems they tried cramming too much of the story in a single film (which is understandable) and there’s no “wow factor”, but that may just be me. I was getting used to amazing things and they no longer have such the impact that they used to have.
All in all, I give it a 4/5.