Things Are Happening

Coming back is hard, sometimes it’s harder if you are trying to find your way through too many things at the same time. But hey, it’s good to be back!

Menu for today:

• Going back to making videos

• I like people, places and things

• Meet Mr. Overwhelm

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Yess! I’m back to making videos and somewhere between last month’s chaos and as per usual, very silent August (where did everyone go?) I quietly put out a new video. I might even say it’s the most “me” thing I’ve filmed in a while.

The video is a slow look at a warm (not hot:)) summer week in Amsterdam, my regular creative desk work combined with free time, the weekdays, the weekend and small city pleasures. A very slow read of “Butter”, the book that was everywhere 2 summers ago ( I finished it, finally!), a movie date to see The Invite, and the new relaxing hobby I never saw coming. Let’s just say my dog won’t be cold ever again.

But that’s only the headline stuff. There’s a whole side plot running through.

I show you a bit of the coloring book process, specifically me squinting obsessively at my own first printed sample copy to catch all the tiny ‘mistakes’ that I’m fully aware of, but nobody will ever notice. I was happy to have a coaching call with a new artist, and a regular coachee , and both were amazing to talk to.

Seeing how they progress is a truly awesome thing to observe!

There’s a relevant info for all the fans of my printer (I know you all got the same model!), so I truly believe it’s important to keep you all up to date. I also got an easel, so far sitting in the corner, silently judging me for buying it and not using it yet. And then my week naturally slowed down, closed by a very sleepy Saturday ( I really need my 8 hours) that started with waffles and a good coffee, one of many to come that day, and followed with catching up with a friend.

Did you read Butter? I need to know if it did to you what it did to me. Let’s see if we can exchange notes! And if you’ve seen The Invite, did you also laugh out loud multiple times? And if you saw my strawberry bucket hat… do you think Balenciaga would pick it up?

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I like places. A lot. My Google Maps looks like an ancient unsolvable puzzle dotted with all the spots I have saved. In places I’ve been to, but also in places I have yet to visit.

Just as I’m a self-proclaimed household DJ, I’m also a self-proclaimed cool-spot finder. Discovering places with soul, whether it’s a spot serving an amazing dish I’m unable to forget (cauliflower with tahini, I’m talking to you), a coffee place with the best americano, or a tiny shop with the quirkiest selection of plant pots, gives me huge satisfaction. Until now, I’ve kept all those places to myself, sharing them only with the people closest to me. But starting today, that’s going to change.

A very special and very cozy project has quietly just started, and this time, I’m only a small part of it, as it’s Pedro Orlando initiative. It’s all about those special places we love returning to.

What’s interesting about it? I made a little list of why you might like it :)

Reason #1: Pedro and I travel a lot. Sometimes for work (80% his, 20% mine), sometimes for pleasure. During those travels (and in our everyday life) our own two feet are our favorite way of transport. And when you keep your eyes wide open while walking 25 km a day, you get plenty of opportunities to discover amazing little corners. Before each trip, I also do some digging, because going with the flow is not always my thing (hello, fellow autistics!).

Reason #2: Pedro and I have very different standards for what makes a place special, but at the same time, we agree on a bunch of things that are important to us. That makes our selection of favorite places both varied and connected by a clear common thread.

We appreciate places where our dog is welcome (dogs are very important in life), that are sensory-friendly, aren’t overhyped, and that, if you feel like it, you can easily visit in your sweatpants. Places built by lovely people, which collectively make a city and the neighborhoods feel ours.

Reason #3: I’m demanding, for good or for bad, when it comes to, well, basically everything. Imagine an adorable cranky grandpa with high (although quite particular) standards (you know he’s wearing cropped pants and glasses with neon frames, he’s cool like that). I fixate on stuff, get obsessed with details, and I’m also a bit peculiar, which is something I’m not planning to change anytime soon. So, things that matter to me often might not be a priority to many, but I think they deserve a lot of love.

If you’re intrigued, the project is called Places by People, and it’s a subjective, very personal guide that appreciates places created in a human way: slowly, with soul, full of details and attention.

I’m going to be part of it, which mostly means I get to share the love I have for some places with a broader public :)

👇👇 FOLLOW THE PROJECT HERE👇👇

👆👆 FOLLOW THE PROJECT HERE👆👆

It’s slowly cooked, a bit alternative, and all about places that are created with passion and heart. Gently and at a leisurely pace, places will be appearing there that, to us, stand out and make us wanna go back time and time again.

I would love to see you there!

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Mr. Overwhelm sneaks up on me in many strange ways. Not always the big things, sometimes it’s just too many objects on the table, too much stuff around me, too many tabs open, too many small, everyday mundane decisions in a row.

I get distracted while I work, while I don’t, while I listen and while I speak, and my mind drifts to the MoosePalace or someplace else, equally abstract.

I’ve started wondering if ADHD might be part of my autistic mix too, which would explain a lot. Clearly, it’s not a “I can’t sit still in class” case, but rather “I can’t sit still without anything to do, and while I do it, should I rather be doing something else?” kind of thing. The constant internal battles, chaos left wherever I go, accompanied by my own annoyance at the mess I make, because:

• a) If I store it away, I’ll forget about it

• b) What’s the point of returning it to its place, if I’m gonna use it again soon

• c) Why the things don’t put themselves back to where they belong on their own?

The half-finished ideas, but also a huge satisfaction whenever I finish a project started 4 years ago. The three browser windows with seventeen tabs each (I have a system. Or do I?). The way I can hyperfocus on a task and then completely forget to eat.

That’s why a few months ago I started trying out new organization and focus strategies, new routines and ways of structuring my days and work. My goal is to create a structure in which I can be as productive as I possibly can, while conserving my energy and protect my work life balance to enjoy my time off, guilt-free.

I’ll let you know how it’s going:)

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