Essays & Art
Who hasn’t dreamt of living a different life? Having a break from the same old same old. Living other daily experiences. More adventure. Or just dipping a toe into a parallel world. I think about it all the time. That’s why I started my initiative I have called “SWAP YOUR LIFE”.
Continue reading “What happened on my Life Swap in Lisbon”Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt.
Happiness is never grand.
– Mustapha Mond, World Controller, in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley –
Welcome to my abundant wellspring of emotional wisdom snacks navigating our complex relationship world with strangers, friends, family, lovers, partners. I’ll be starting with a light approach introducing or (for the savvier ones of you) recapping often used expressions coined in soul-stirring digital research labs: Online Dating.
Continue reading “How To Become An Efficient Sociopath”
A sharp pencil and an even sharper tongue when observing other human beings were Wilhelm Busch’s toolkit. The German comic strip poet, illustrator and painter lived a self-styled withdrawn existence in a small village in the North Western part of 19th century Germany.
Wilhelm brought his social studies to life through witty caricatures. Sketching and commenting human failures and people’s darker traits in quirky verses of creative silliness were his trademarks.
View cartoon →After being away for three months, I have returned to my flat in central London. I had expected things to be a bit more dramatic, one of a kind to experience how it would feel to come back after such an extraordinary life-and-society-interrupting event as Covid-19. We are trained through media exposure, aren’t we?
Yet, all seems rather ordinary here in Kentish Town. This impression is only true when first arriving.
View photos →
“I drink to make other people more interesting.”
The infamous quote by notorious writer, sportsman and hard core drinker Ernest Hemingway sounds badass, witty, swanky. Aaah, so cool! Except that it isn’t.
Continue reading “Sober is the new drunk”
So here’s a tale I want to share with you. Let me reconstruct the scene. Sunny day, chairs outside in the garden, birds chirping. My sis and I during a heart-to-heart. No, not birds, I made that up.
Her: Why don’t you meet anyone?
Moi: Dunno.
Her: How about dating?
Moi: Yes, I’d love to.
Her: Soooo, how about …
Continue reading “Do you dare to ask him out or why don’t we talk to each other?”
It’s not strictly what the Catholic Church commends. At least not the New Testament.
Experiments with Artificial Intelligence have directed us towards successful behaviour strategies in social interactions. In the 1980s the math whizz and psychologist Anatol Rapoport managed to prove that being nice is good. There’s a twist of course.
Continue reading “Don’t know how to react to that? I say: Tit for Tat!”
I hear it’s a new business trend. Co-Walking or Walking Meetings, it is called. Helping you to be more efficient in your business meetings. Between colleagues, clients or other stakeholders, it’s a catch-up or meeting rather held outside than ..
Continue reading “Walk & Talk to get if off your chest!”