Angel Mountain

What worked for me was to stop seeing friends that smoked and to go for a run every time I felt like getting a cigarette, instead of getting the cigarette.

“American democracy”

Sorry, but Spotify Discover Weekly of course.

And I also always have Shazam ready to go for when out and about.

35 y/o orange Opel Kadett. Would stall when cornering. Funily enough at the same time also the best car I owned. Fixed it once using the belt from my pants. Belt was on there for years.

Indeed, instead of what they need. It’s like only giving sugar to your kid to eat instead of vegetables, because that’s what they “want”. Oh wait that’s actually what happens as well

People like to read those stories because it gives them hope it also happens to them. Media print stories that you want to read, that’s how they make money.

Other stories people like to read: how to world is going to shit (evolutionairy important to prepare to survive), what someone that’s familiar to you did (evolutionary important to be social to work together to survive), stories about how someone else did something stupid (complaining about that toghether gives yoh a sense of belonging) and stories about how a pet cat was retrieved (tickling that instinct to care for others again).

As you can see, media is looking for stories that tickle your most basic insticts and needs, because they know that’s what you will be interested in, making you read their stories so they can make more money.

Welcome to capitalism, you are the product.

For me:

• It tells time and is always correct, also during daylight saving season
• It tells the weather forecast, I check it before leaving my house.
• I like that the alarm wakes me up with vibration mode, but not my partner (yes I wear my watch at night, but around my ankle, pro-tip)
• I like to easily read important notifications (I am quite strict in what it does show, so only texts from important people, my calendar and like bank notifications get through). Added benefit is that I don’t get distracted with other stuff because I don’t open my phone.
• I often lose my phone, my watch is able to find it.
• I use my watch to get simple navigation option when I go running/inline skating in an area I don’t know yet. Works better than the phone because I don’t have to hold the phone in my hand.
• I set it up so my partner can see where I’m at. When I see a notification from them asking where I am I can easily (and safily) start the tracking without having to pull out my phone.
• It tracks my heartrate, so I can do heartrate based training.

So is it really necessary? No obviously not, I will survive without it, but I do like it a lot and would miss it of it wasn’t there. But that’s how it is for me, that does not mean it will be the same for you.

You’ll be probably be happier with a higher quality watch than with one that barely works. I would not recommend going for an option because it’s cheap, instead go for the one that’s good enough for you needs.

No need to buy the same one as I did, but I have been very happy with my “not the cheapest, not the most expensive”-garmin watch for years. It is reliable, does what i need it to do and is not so expensive that i am afraid of breaking it for instance. I did need to make choices to be able to get it, i could not spend that money on other things, but that only made me feel better when I got it.

More on topic: it’s easy to find accesoires/replacement parts for my watch, it’s easier to get it repaired, both at garmin as well as a local shop, the software has a lot of integration option with other software (strava, komoot, etc.) and i can download apps and watch faces other people with the same watch built and i can be sure my alarm goes off in the morning. I don’t expect the temu watch to have these things. For me it was worth to pay a bit more. Sidenote: I did get a screen protector for my watch from AliExpress, so apparently I’m not against that 😏

My partner introduced me to the Dutch “112” app (112 is the emergency telephone number in Europe).

I hope I never need it of course, but if I do it automatically shares my location and it allows me to chat instead of call if I would be in a situation that requires that.

Also, I really enjoy Jepster as my biking computer when cycling. The guy that built it is also very approachable when you find a problem, which is great.

And when you’re planning to get kids have a look at “Kinder”…

Italians die regardless. If it tastes good, go your gang, live a little. I put mayonaise on my frozen pineapple/ham pizza. Best hangover breakfast ever.

According to Rutger Bregman: just give it away to people who don’t have it.

In my country it’s possible to join clubs, for instance for a sport you like. I also like it as a way to meet new people because there is time to talk but also an activity to avoid awkward silences.

It used to be just because I was interested. Then life got in between and I ditched it a bit, until Microsoft announced that “find anything you ever did”-feature. I installed Ubuntu again after quite a few years and stayed because I finally did not have to spend 3 days to get my video card working “kinda” and I found out my games actually work. No need to use Windows anymore.

Because they can

If you were my neighbour I would love it if you notified my of the danger. I’d also say that if they give you a negative response they will move soon so there’s no risk really

Git, by Linus? Maybe even linux itself? Ok actually Linus might just be Steve Wozniak without an annoying Steve Jobs guy next to him, while actually being a lot bigger than Apple maybe?

How happy I am with prettier. This is just a thing in an ancient past for me now.

This morning I was still awake, my veines exploding because of all the “anti-sleep medication”, having a quick cool-down from the party still going on inside, when I hear someone randomly say: “yeahh rm -rf!”. One thing let to another…

Linux skills make you friends as well as get you jobs.

1. Ask nicely
2. Aks firmly
3. Call the police
4. Warm air rises 🔥

In the army they say: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy” I believe, right? I think the same counts for trips abroad. You’ll probably get sick in the first days because of all the built up stress preparing for the trip finally releasing, you will forget something “important” when leaving the airplane, the museum you really wanted to see might be closed that week because of renovations, etc.

What I remember most from my trips are those cafes you stumble upon that afternoon you did not plan anything, that sunset on the edge of the river while walking back to the place you’re staying and the best souvenir is that painting you bought from that friendly guy at that market you came across. So, try to take it slow.

More practical tips: try to follow the local schedule. For instance, in Spain don’t try to eat dinner before 21:00 and in France don’t try to go shopping during lunchtime.

Also, take some emergency food for when you cannot find a nice place to eat that still has a spot for two but you are getting really hangry. A bar of some sorts for instance.

And take pictures, but don’t experience everything through your lense. Also, imagine what you would actually like to view when back home. I only take pictures with people on them and not in any tourist hotspots; I can find enough pictures of those online already.

Enjoy!