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I don't want to leave, I said an estimated 36 times last week. Two weeks is too short, especially when you spend half of it praying for better health.

At least we maximized the last week, when I was almost at normal capacity. Afterwork drinks, delicious food at a French restaurant, two hours at The Dark Rooms Veins exhibition (worth it!) and, of course, a Vabali afternoon.

I also developed an addiction to LAP's protein foam latte. Can this please be exported to every other city I visit? I'm all for gentrification if it means a steady supply of this.

But I guess I'll have to learn to make it myself. 🙃

On Friday we packed everything in the car and drove to Poland, where we took the ferry overnight to Malmö. Our first stop was a Swedish gas station, which happens to be Tom's happy place. Mine on the other hand is a specialty coffee shop where a flat white costs a monthly salary and maybe that's why he owns several apartments and I own ... too many Macbooks.

Anyway.

The weekend was spent visiting friends on the West Coast, from Ängelholm to Stenungsund. Plus a stop at Grimeton Radio Station because Tom thought it sounded interesting. Surprisingly fun museum. All in all, 10/10 roadtrip stops.

And now we are in Stockholm for two weeks, and that's it for this somewhat random vacation update.

My post-Fusion health issues continued on and by Wednesday it was time to see a doctor. Probiotics for my stomach, three days of antibiotics for my throat. I'm beginning to think Fusion and I are not quite compatible.

The morning after I woke up at 5.30 with extreme stomach pain. I suffered in silence, convinced this would be the end of me, until Tom woke up two hours later and told me to take a paracetamol. 30 minutes later I was mostly fine. Modern medicin, huh.

A fairly uneventful week followed. Met up with friends for drinks one day, and for brunch another. Could start doing workouts again and opted for a reformer class, thinking it would be a mild start. I forgot how brutal those tiny movements can be. Nevertheless, happy to be back in action.

We're living in Prenzlauer Berg this time, a neighborhood I usually don't spend much time in, but will be my preferred choice in the future. Might be an age thing. The first time I really lived in Berlin, it was a shared flat in Neukölln and I told my friends how I loved the rawness of the neighborhood. These days I don't think "raw" would be the word I used for the shit[^and I mean that in the most literal sense]one sees there. 🙃

Anyway! Found a new favorite cafe to write at, Symple Coffee. It checks all the boxes for a perfect laptop cafe. Delicious coffee[^I especially love that you get your cold brew in a separate small pot so you don't dilute it instantly with ice in your glass], a lot of natural light, it's clearly stated where you're allowed to sit with laptops, reasonably comfortable seats, and the staff is super nice. I'm sure the wifi is good too, but I generally prefer to use my own phone, as the paranoid soul I sometimes am.

This coming week I'm intending to catch up on life. Take some calisthenics classes, visit the sauna-oasis that is Vabali, and check out this exhibition that we noticed was just a few minutes walk from our house.

And on Friday we start making our way to Sweden!

Last week was a recovery week. Even though I thought I had paced myself quite well this Fusion, I did not realize the toll the circumstances took on me this year. The extreme heat was rough. Hunger was non-existent, we did not eat enough, even though I tried to be diligent about water, electrolytes and breakfast at least. And of course, we still walked and danced a large part of the nights. In conclusion, my body was not happy with me.

We drove to a campsite a few hours away. My one non-negotiable with our destination was to get in water. Fun fact we learned earlier this trip: even if a campsite has "beach" in the name and is located right by a lake, that does not, in fact, mean you can swim there. Some lakes are for fishing only, or come with a funky smell. Take note if you're camping in Germany.

But this one turned out to be perfect. Modern amenities, including big washing machines, which is key after a festival. Fusion is not Burning Man, but somehow the entire van was covered in dust and dirt.

On Monday I had not one, but two, second interviews. Both companies I'd love to work at, both roles perfect for me, and everyone I met seemed like smart, fun people. The morning after I got an offer from one of them. In the afternoon the other one said they would match my first offer. Why, oh why, did they both have to happen at the exact same time? I'd have killed for either of these assignments, but found myself in the surreal position of saying no to one of them. Hoping for a second chance in the future.

This means fall and winter will look a bit different this year. I will be spending more time in Stockholm. Working full-time with one company. Doing work I've dreamed of focusing on. Could not be more excited!

On Wednesday we drove off to Berlin, in what felt like much needed rain and thunderstorms. It felt so good to arrive. We had dinner at a French bistro on our street and told each other at least ten times how good it felt to be back. Berlin will always feel like home.

But my health was still not great and I mostly took it easy. I had a sore throat and felt slightly nauseous on and off. At the end of the week I even stopped drinking coffee.

And that's how you know I'm really not well. 🙃

The main event of the weekend was to see Obsession. I love horror, but most of the time, it's mediocre and disappointing. This time, it exceeded my already high expectations. I think the entire theater jumped out of their seats at one point? The story, the commentary on destructive relationships and removing a persons autonomy, and the acting, all 10/10. Go watch it.

Last week we were at Fusion. An alternative music festival in Germany, heavy on techno, but you can find just about anything if you look hard enough. In some ways it reminds me of Burning Man, there's a rebellious spirit at its core.

Taking photos is strongly discouraged. Nobody puts stickers on your phone like they do in Berlin clubs, but the norm is to put your phone away. The web app with the timetable opens with a reminder: NO PHOTOS.

I'm not phone shaming anywhere here, I'm as much of an addict as anyone else. But the energy in a crowd is so different when people are on their phones versus not. Are you really enjoying the moment if you think “oh I must capture this” and bring up your phone every new track? Are you allowing yourself to get lost in the experience? A few seconds is what I generally allow myself to capture, just to have a small reminder in my camera roll. At Fusion this year, I did not even do that.

I thought, maybe I can take this as a personal challenge to describe the experience in words, the old school way? If you're not a festival fan, maybe this gives you an idea of what the experience can be when you're two middle-aged people.

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY

We got lucky. After a night at a campsite a few hours away, followed by a chill morning with coffee, a run (probably the last healthy thing I accomplish this week) and my weekly volunteer call, we drove off and managed to arrive right at the sweet spot when nobody else was. A few cars in the line and we were through in 15 minutes. En route we also secured a campervan ticket, giving us a much better parking spot, from a kind soul on Reddit. We were in good spirits!

Fusion is huge. 65,000 people gather on the old airplane fields, in tents and campervans. Ages range from 18 to 80. If you're wondering if you're too old for festivals, you're going to the wrong ones.

After setting up our little camp, we biked to the island area for a dip in the lake. The temperatures were going to be mad this weekend, and it was already 32 degrees the first day. It was supposed to be 38 on Saturday. The lake was completely packed already, and I remembered the previous time when they shut down the lake on Friday, due to bacteria. But still, refreshing.

Back at the van we sat outside in the shade for a bit, had a drink, some snacks. Then we got ready, packed a bottle of Prosecco, and took our bikes to go visit friends.

This is our second Fusion. Last time we arrived on Thursday and wanted to maximize every moment here. By Monday I was a complete wreck. This time we decided to do things smarter. I wanted to take it easy, explore the grounds, enjoy the food, check out what's new.

We took our bikes to meet up with two friends at their tent and their camp setup amazed me. I'm not too old for festivals, but I do feel too old for handling the discomfort of sleeping in a small tent at a festival. Especially during a heatwave. We opened the Prosecco, toasted to having finally arrived. Time to roam!

The food trucks, spread out in clusters over the entire festival area, have almost any food you can imagine, but no meat; it's all vegetarian or vegan. I opted for a veggie burrito. It was delicious.

We walked around and stopped for a while at a stage playing disco. I'm not normally a fan of disco, but techno infused? Yeah, that I can get behind. Had forgotten my Loop earplugs in the van though, so after a while I had to move slightly away from the crowd.

The Sonnendeck stage was packed already. “It's the best stage during sunrise, the light is beautiful”, a girl said. “I don't think I've ever lasted till sunrise,” I told her. “Maybe this year!”

We watched the sea of rave sticks bop around the dance floor. Rave sticks, or totems, are poles with lights and a personalized creation on top that groups use to be able to find each other in the chaos that is Fusion. At this point it's more an art installation on its own and has spread to many other festivals. Unicorns are a popular theme, as usual, but my favorite this evening was a little alien covered in sparkling lights.

On we roamed. Found a metal dragon skeleton moving and spewing fire, surrounded by saxophones. A woman walked around it, playing a normal saxophone, and the dragon danced to the beat, fires everywhere.

Hours later, I decided that was enough adventure for the first night. We came home to the campervan, having clocked in at 22,000 steps, and a quick shower later I was out. (The luxury of showering before bed 😌)

DAY 2: THURSDAY

I woke up earlier than I wanted, it was already hot outside. I bought an AeroPress when I was in Koh Phangan, and it's my most precious travel companion now. Every morning this trip I start with making strong coffee with quality beans. In one cup I pour oat milk, in the other regular milk, add a dash of condensed milk to both, and foam it up with the milk frother. A couple of ice cubes, mix in the coffee, and voila, a luxury campervan coffee.

When we open all the windows, the draft makes it feel ten degrees cooler. I was reading Tone Schunnesson's latest novel, Ultravåld (only in Swedish, hope it will be translated soon), and had to force myself to put it down for a moment so there was a chance to sleep for a bit. Goal: stay out past midnight. Not a small feat for this 40-year-old. I closed my eyes for 45 minutes and might have drifted off for a while, tickled by the window curtains on my back.

Shortly after 18, an ambulance passed by and we took that as a signal to get ready. Poured myself a Mango Hugo from a can and grabbed my sparkliest eyeshadow.

Just when I was ready to go, we noticed all music from the festival had gone quiet. Instead, an announcement was playing. There was a fire nearby, outside the festival grounds, and all stages were paused until further notice. Everyone had to go back to their camps.

Our campsite was further away from the actual festival, and between us and the main festival area (stages and most of the camping spots) lies the old tarmac. As we looked out, we saw everyone at the festival being evacuated to the asphalt.

We realized this might take a while.

I poured myself another drink, a grapefruit spritzer, and had some yoghurt and granola for dinner. Weird combo, but it kind of worked?

Tom was restless, and decided it was the perfect time to bring out his big water spray bottle and umbrella to provide some cooling to the stranded people on the tarmac.

I frantically tried to access Reddit, hoping to find more details than the sparse info message on the app. Saw several comments saying the festival would be canceled, and was reminded again how quickly rumors spread in a crisis. One post said they would reopen around 21, and that sounded more reliable.

When they started allowing people in, we headed over to a friends' camp to join their adventures. Their totem was an adorable flower water pot, with red and white fairy lights coming out of the nose. Attached was a small basket where they kept heart stickers to give out. “Liebe, liebe,” they shouted as we moved through the crowds. At one point we met a snail totem with much joy from all parties. I love the silliness at festivals. We need more spaces to act like kids and connect, both with others and music.

I had not expected the night to get as cold as it did. From 32 degrees during the day, it suddenly turned freezing after sunset. I had the foresight to bring my red sweatshirt, but it just barely kept me warm enough. When we were on the dance floor, surrounded by dancing bodies, it was fine. As soon as we moved outside I was shivering.

The rest of the night was a journey from stage to stage, dancing to different genres of electronic music, until I decided this was enough. I was done with being cold and ready for a shower and bed. The others partied on while I curled up in bed, with sweater, comfy pants and a blanket.

DAY 3: FRIDAY

There's something about starting festivals early that messes with my weekly orientation. On Wednesday I kept thinking it was Thursday, on Thursday I kept thinking it was Friday, and now Friday is here and I have finally given up on keeping track.

Woke up too early, as usual, at 09. My watch tells me I need to recover and should sleep 9.5 hours tonight. I considered taking it off, nobody needs this kind of negativity at a festival, but seeing how many steps I take every night is too entertaining. From 00 to 02, it was 10,000, in case you're wondering.

This year we were lucky enough to have bikes. Fusion is massive, and our first year we got tired just from getting from our camp to the stages.

I started my morning with my usual bougie iced latte and sat outside, watching people. Said hi to the neighbors and people walking past. Noticed that one guy in the camp next to us looked like Monolink, a DJ I loved for years. Made a mental note to tell Tom this.

Festivals, and camping in general, is a lot about these little rituals.

Getting ready for a party is another ritual for me. It's not so much about putting on makeup and deciding what to wear. It's the process of turning from Normal Sanna, who's on top of things, prioritizing health, doing her work on time, to Relaxed Sanna, who's up for adventure, ready to explore, and never thinks about her sleep score. I pour myself a drink, listen to music, take my time. I could do it quick and simple, but this process is my portal into another mindset. I enjoy it.

Tom, who takes a quick shower, puts on shorts and a shirt, and is ready in five minutes, does not entirely get it. But I appreciate his patience.

It was a hot day and we ventured out later in the evening. First stop was checking out the Sonnendeck stage, where Oliver Koletzki was playing. I saw him live in Berlin a few years ago, had fun. But this, for whatever reason, was not the vibe. We speculated that it was the heat, creating a more chill set than he usually plays. The sun was still blazing over the whole dance floor, despite it being 19 in the evening.

We moved on to the other stage. Grabbed a drink and sat down to wait for Township Rebellion. Their set was a highlight the previous year, and I was sure it would be amazing.

It started off strong with Hot Sauce, a track Miss Monique has a remix of, which I (of course) love. But that was as good as it got. We sat on the wooden structures around the stage to avoid being in the direct sun, and found ourselves feeling ... bored? Not the vibe we were going for. We roamed around, came back, still not the vibe, but eventually, it was time for the next DJ. A couple of friends had told us about Kaufmann, their favorite at the moment, and we met up with them close to the front. It was 22, the dance floor was packed, and what followed was a journey. That's really what I'm looking for, I want the DJ to take me on a trip, not just play the same music over and over again. Two hours flew by, and we stayed for the next set as well. The crowd thinned out a bit, giving us more space to dance. Another two hours went by.

After that our luck ran out, and we decided to check out another stage. After walking around, noticing that after a certain point at Fusion every stage seems to play the same type of techno, we decided to call it a night.

DAY 4: SATURDAY

This day was a whopping 40 degrees. We spent the whole day in our camp. Mostly lying in bed with all windows open, desperate for any little draft the air could muster. Spraying ourselves with water and waving a fan with one hand, holding our Kindles with the other.

The official app had announced the day before that the lake was closed due to bacteria, but we heard from others that people kept going in anyway to cool off. Felt grateful for our van with a shower.

We started our evening out after 17 to get food. Reibekuchen was our starter and when I saw a girl walk by with a delicious looking langos, I had to get one. It was delicious, but huge, and neither of us could finish our halves.

Picked up an iced flat white from my favorite coffee truck. I've tried asking baristas in Lisbon for an iced flat white and they always stare at me with a confused look and tell me they can only do iced lattes. Funny how this is normal in Germany and almost nowhere else? Is there a rule that if you have iced coffee it either has to be black or a ratio of 1/5 espresso and 4/5 milk?

Walked around and passed by a little wooden stage in the shape of a boat, with a wide ramp to get up on it. It was a dedicated stage for wheelchair users. One of the things I love about this festival, they make a real effort to make it inclusive.

At this point, I felt pretty satisfied. We'd done a lot of what we wanted to do, and had very few expectations on this last night. It's the best feeling, we could simply go with the flow and see where the night would take us, without any fixed ideas of what it should be.

When the festival started I fed the list of artists into Claude, told it what DJs I really like, and asked for recommendations. The one it recommended as closest to Miss Monique was Solee. Never heard of him before, but we gave him a chance. What followed was a 10/10 set. Just listen to this starting beat. Phew.

Have little else to report from this evening, we danced, we roamed, and at a decent hour, we went back to camp to sleep. Fusion done for this year. See you in 2028?

*A few days after Fusion I saw this photo from Monolink in my feed. I recognized the group and the location. Apparently we were camping next to one of my favorite DJs the whole time. 🫠

On Thursday morning, I had my alarm set to 06.02. I woke up, brushed my teeth, made a quick coffee. We ran back and forth to the car, filled it with every piece of luggage. Tent, sleeping bags, camping stove, ten pairs of shoes (why every hobby we have requires special shoes, I do not know, but it is getting ridiculous). It's packed to the degree Tom felt sad we could not pick up a hitchhiker if we met one.

At 06.58 we rolled off.

Our first two nights we checked into a small camp site in the Pyrenees, Panticosa Lodge, so we could break up the long drive with a hike. That turned out to be one of our better decisions!

We got lucky with the weather and for once got to hike in blistering sun instead of rain, like we almost always do. (Like last year, when we did a 4-day hike and it rained 80% of it. 🙃)

We hiked up to a refugio for lunch, and then back down another route, where we didn't see a single soul. Until we spotted my animal – marmot!

The next day we drove through France. First stop: coffee and croissant.

We took a small detour to a cute village for lunch, Brantôme. Accidentally, it turned out to add quite a few hours more, but I dare say it was worth it. Enjoyed a fancy lunch, walked around in the heatwave, and had an ice cream.

A few hours later we made it to our chosen camp site. Had a chill evening and dinner was crepes at a small restaurant, which I'm pretty sure was the living room of this old couple?

Everything is cooler in France.

Last week ...

... I went to the last writing meetup in a while. 🥲 These biweekly Wednesday meetups has felt like a small treat to myself the past couple of years and will miss them while I'm away.

... I joined another private calisthenics class with Tom and got to work on skin the cat. My favorite cali move, which I one day will manage to do properly.

... we spent most of our time in the car or on camp sites. And honestly, it was such an upgrade from doing our usual hotel route. I think the combination of being in nature between drives and being able to do simple camp site food instead of mediocre roadside restaurants made a huge difference.

... we had a stop in a quaint French village.

... 2400 kilometers later we arrived in the Netherlands to pick up the camper van we we're lucky enough to borrow for our next activity.

This week ...

... we're heading to Fusion, an alternative festival in Germany!

The time for our seasonal migration up north is getting closer, quicker than expected. Every year it goes faster, doesn't it?

Typical old person thing to say. 🙃

Last week I had an idea. I put it into Craft Agents, with Fable as the model, and an hour later I had a working browser plugin with the sole purpose of judging me for the websites I visit. If they are productive (like writing this blog post) it praises me. If I'm wasting time on LinkedIt, it gets snarky.

It's been a week and it's honestly been great for my productivity. Also my own amusement. It's on Github if you want to try it yourself. Will make a separate post about it later, and put it on Chrome Web Store as well.

Last week ...

... I joined Tom for a private calisthenics class. Haven't done a proper cali workout in a while and it was so much fun.

... we managed to get one beach day in. Good job, us!

... I decided to join one Santos party. In June, there's a festival in Lisbon where everyone are on the streets, drinking, and eating sardines. I joined the biggest day, in the busiest area, which was not the smartest move. Next time I'll chose wiser.

... I finished reading The Make-Believe. Hannah Murray did a great job shining a light on the systematic problems of these types of wellness organizations. It attracts people who are seeking something, and often are in a vulnerable position. It's easy to be manipulated. And no regulation or visibility into what they are doing. Should be mandatory reading for anyone in wellness communities. Also, will be reading anything else she publishes, she's a great writer.

... Tove Lo released another new song and it's on repeat. Can't wait for the new album in September, and hope we get treated to more singles this summer!

This week ...

... is all about getting ready to leave Lisbon for 7 weeks. Lots to do!

... on Thursday, we're driving off! Our first destination is a camp site in the mountains and we'll stay two nights, so we can do a hike on Friday.

... I'm reading my first Elizabeth Strout novel, Olive Kitteridge. I've seen many reviews of this author, thinking it's probably something I'd love, and 70% in I'm not disappointed.

"Hey, let's go camping," Tom said, late Sunday afternoon. We had planned to go on Saturday, but I wasn't feeling well and we canceled it. One hour later we were in the car, heading to a campsite by the beach, in Sesimbra.

Usually when we drive up north in June, we drive in a rush, stopping only to sleep, and pray we don't pick up bed bugs in a random hotel. This summer we decided to do something different. We bought a new tent (fun fact: we bought our previous tent together in 2020 "as friends" and the rest is history), new sleeping pads, and a few other accessories.

The idea is that we're gonna stop on campsites along the way, decompress from the highway in nature. Maybe we'll even get a few hikes in.

After one night in the wild we agreed it was a success. Ready to roadtrip!

Last week ...

... I joined an AI hackathon as a mentor for two days. Fun! Not sure I could contribute a whole lot, but enjoyed being part of it.

... I published a new Between Deadlines: What happens when you don’t reply within five minutes. Maybe not the newsletter that will give me more clients, but an important one nonetheless.

... I struggled with some knee and quads issues, partly from a very intense workout the week before, but mainly walking/dancing in sand for hours last weekend.

... I started reading The Make-Believe by Hannah Murray. More thoughts when I finished it, but for now, it's truly a trip into both a spiritual organization and a psychosis.

This week ...

... is the last full week home in Lisbon before we drive north, so focus is getting everything in order. Work, work, hustle, hustle, and so on. Not too much else planned.

Happy Monday!

On Sunday I went to have a quiet morning to myself, biked to Belem and sat down for pancakes and an ice latte, with my Kindle ready to go. Little did I know that the discussion from the people next to me would be so intriguing I only made it two pages in one hour.

Guys, we should eavesdrop more. It's better than TikTok.

In other related nosy news I recently found out a friend is becoming a dad by his accidental automatic Goodreads update (reading a book called "The Couple's Pregnancy Guide" is ... obvious).

Anyway.

Last week ...

... I hosted my first official AI workshop! Got to dig into AI and how to set up context for your workflow. It was really fun, I've missed doing this and want to do it more. Might do one online if there's interest!

... I decided last minute to join friends at Moga, a beach festival nearby. I had low expectations for the music, but after being utterly bored at one stage I decided to side quest my way to another, and I found a DJ I actually could dance to. Would not go again though; I don't mind dancing barefoot in the sand, but having to walk in sand between stages was too much.

... I developed a new direction for my Substack. It's not my favorite platform, but a lot of smart people are active there and I do like the community aspect. My goal is to publish weekly newsletters there, and start using notes. Let's see how it goes!

... I finally made it to the new calisthenics park that opened by the river! Honestly, the best cali park I've seen? Brought elastic bands and worked on my (non-existing) pull-ups.

This week ...

... I'll send out the next Between Deadlines, about not replying instantly. Several drafts in progress!

... I'm joining an AI hackathon as a mentor here in Lisbon! Really looking forward to it, seeing what people are building and hopefully provide some support (and good questions). Start minimal is my mantra, which I suspect I'll be saying a lot.

... we're gonna try our new tent this weekend. Can't wait to get out in nature for a bit.

I have a new hobby. Popsicles! Ever since I tasted a coconut salted caramel popsicle in Thailand I have not stopped thinking about making my own version.

I bought quality popsicle molds and once a week I make a new batch. Where I, true to my nature, try something new every time. With varied results.

Lessons learned at this point:

• Greek yoghurt is a good base, but only if you use one with more fat. None of that 0.5% bullshit I tend to buy. Unfortunately. More fat means less icy crystals.
• Protein powder (of course I'm trying to sneak in more protein, I'm still me) is okay-ish to put in. But it definitely has a taste. Boyfriend complains.
• Cottage cheese is my favorite way to bring the protein up, and has a nice taste.
• Coconut milk can be added, but should not be the base. I thought it was much more fat in it, but, created icy popsicles.
• Mango and pistachio are both delicious ingredients. However, not in the same popsicle.

Last version was coconut milk, cottage cheese, frozen strawberries, dash of maple syrup, all blended, then added some Lotus cookie crumbs. Good, but a bit watery.

Next time, who knows!

Last week ...

... I hosted my first AI workshop at Kompis, with friends, to get their feedback. Was super helpful. It's been a while since I led a workshop and I tend to assume everyone already knows more or less the same as me, and it quickly became apparent that I needed to flesh out the step-by-step process much more clearly.

... I back into a normal workout routine, which is nice, but my weak arms makes me cry a little. A year ago I could do unassisted pull-ups and now I need the thickest band to manage even one. Rebuilding strength is a big piece of humble pie, isn't it.

... I started reading The Brother Karamazov, at last. In high school I was obsessed with Crime and Punishment (and Nikolai Gogols short stories) and there was only one other person in class who shared this particular interest. Then he read The Brothers Karamazov and told me it was even better, and somehow it has been on my to read list for ERHM, 25 years (what the absolut fuck where does time go yelp). All the algoritm slop violating my eyes lately is making me crave really old, quality books. Estimated reading time is about 30 hours, so, don't expect an update anytime soon.

... we watched the last episode of Shrinking. Have you watched it? It's a very sneaky show. It makes you laugh at all the absurdities, while illustrating the need for boundaries (since no-one in this show respect them), and all of the sudden it hits you in the gut with something super emotional out of nowhere. Happy there will be a season 4!

... we managed going to the beach twice. The classic summer heat has finally arrived and I'm gonna enjoy it.

This week ...

... I'm hosting my first paid AI workshop! More on that next week, but really looking forward to it.

... I'm in the process of starting something new with a few smart people! It's fun, a bit unclear, and that's honestly part of what I like about it. Our latest call ended up talking about the definition of "Marie Kondoing", and we did not entirely agree.

... I don't have a ton of things in my schedule, so this week I will actually make some time to write. A new edition of Between Deadlines coming up, and I've hoarded a few links to include with the next Nuggets, too.

That's it, happy week!

I met a friend after my final dance class last week. I was still on a high from the joy of dancing, and she asked what I loved about it so much. Fun question.

It's like a puzzle, I told her. Especially with learning a choreography, it never makes sense to my body at first. I see the movements, I try to imitate, but the pieces don't fit. But you go over it, again and again, and suddenly you start making sense of it. The pieces starts to fit. That's when the real fun begins. You can stop thinking about how to do the steps, and you lose yourself in the dance. It's a flow state.

Not like my brain shuts off though, I still see notice what I'm doing, where I fuck up, what I can do better. And I want to do it again, to improve, make it better. I'm not good at it, but I love it just the same.

Last week ...

... I had my last level 1 improv class. We were allowed to bring one or two people as visitors, and it was really fun to introduce Tom to this weird little universe I've been in the past months. My summer travel schedule means I can only join the first two classes of level 2, but will join again as soon as I'm back.

... I also had my last high heels dance class! Sad it's over too. By the end I did start to nail the choreo, but man, dancing in heels without a pole really is a whole different game. With a pole you have support at all times, here you have to rely on your balance and that makes me step much more carefully. Will sign up for the next one as soon as I'm back after the holidays!

... we had some friends over for BBQ and I taught them an absurd improv game from my course. Complete chaos, much fun.

... a friends dog ran away from Kompis on Friday, really stressful (the traffic is insane here), but thankfully she was found three days later and was okay.

... we went to look at a property near Mafra. Gorgeous area and view, but the house needed almost a complete rebuild. Fun to explore, let's see what happens!

This week ...

... I'm hosting my first Craft Agents & workflow workshop at Kompis! Will be with friends, and have another one scheduled next week already. Really excited about it, I've missed doing this!

... true Lisbon summer is finally arriving with temperatures climbing up to 30 degrees. It's been a slow burn, this spring, and now I'm craving proper beach time (not just taking a cold plunge and freezing under two layers afterwards).

... I'm back to a more normal workout schedule, as I don't have dance twice a week anymore. Weights, here I come!

... I want to do some more writing. It's been low on my priority list lately, work has been a priority, and I always get a bit antsy when that happens. Still have several almost finished post I want to publish here too.

For the first time this year, I have five weeks ahead of me with any traveling planned or visitors coming over. I'm pretty excited about it. Time to focus!

Last week ...

... We had visitors over the weekend, which meant a lot of socializing, quite a bit of alcohol, and very little time to chill. Fun though!

... I was mostly focused on client work + visitors, so made very little progress on anything else.

... I read Yesteryear. I rarely read newly released books that are this hyped, but I saw a review that made it sound irresistible. Parallells to the vibe of Yellowface, in terms of commentary on a current topic and unlikable main character. I loved it. Begging everyone I know to read it so we can discuss things like how much freedom of choice she really had and what we thought of the ending.

This week ...

... I'm having my last level one improv class. 🥲 Sad it's over and that I won't be able to join the full next course, but hoping to make it to three classes at least, before the summer travel madness starts again.

... I'm also having my last high heels dance class. We learned a floor work section last week and it looked so awful the teacher didn't even film it, hah. Thursday is the last one, hoping we can get our shit together and make it presentable. For no other reason than personal victory. So much fun by the way, need to make dancing a priority.

... I'm gonna blast Tove Lo's new single on repeat, as soon as it's out on Wednesday evening. If you can, I recommend seeing her on tour later this year. She's so much fun live.

... I finally set up a schedule for Bricking my phone. I got the Brick a while back, and have mostly used it when I needed to really focus (I have a no-socials mode, and also a hard lockdown-mode, where I can only make calls). But I now I've also set up a schedule, so it locks me out of social media 21.00-12.00. Curious to see the impact it will have.

A month ago I got a message from a friend in Sweden, saying she knew I probably couldn't make it, but she still wanted to invite me to her birthday celebration. I looked at flights, counted my points (thanks Revolut) and booked it the next day.

And last week it was time. Four days of quality time with my favorite people gave me an energy boost I didn't realize I needed.

Last week ...

... I had a very fun night out with old friends, celebrating Lorraine. Classic pre-party style with pizza and fireball shots, and then onwards to experience Natten, a club playing exclusively cheesy love songs.

... the Swedish weather gods treated me with 23 degrees and sunshine. Woke up annoyingly early, still not hungover (gotta thank my genetics for that), and ready for coffee on the balcony.

... I had a burger at my favorite burger place, Funky Chicken, which apparently is no longer allowed on the top list of burgers in Sweden because they've been number 1 for years and no other burgers stands a chance. They are now on their own list, Hall of Fame. There is something quite Swedish about this.

This week ...

... I have client deliveries to focus on, hustle mode activated!

... I have several posts half-drafted that I wish to finish. On Wednesday I'm going to my favorite bi-weekly writing meetup, hoping to make some progress there.

... I also need to have a content prep day for my professional stuff. I have an idea for next Between Deadlines and need to write a batch of posts for Linkedin, so I can schedule them in advance. It's one of those things that ends up in the bottom of my task list if I don't pay attention.

... We're having visitors over the weekend, Tom's brother and wife. The weather looks unstable, but at least we have a lot of top tier wine bars to hang out at.

... I have my second to last improv class. 🥲 Next week is our final class and I really want to sign up for the next one, while also being nervous for what challenges the intermediate level holds.

... I got no sign-ups for my paid workshop, which I kind of expected. I don't have much social proof, and no network to push it at. But! I'm planning to host it just for friends, to get their feedback first, and then try it again. To be continued!

Happy Monday!

Busy days over here, but in a good way. Went to a friends birthday celebration on Saturday and found myself talking about improv with literally every single person. Sorry, guys. I can't seem to help myself.

My first Vipassana was an experience that divided my life into a before and an after. Night and day, a clear cut change. Improv is nothing like that, it's something else entirely, but a little voice in my mind still wants to connect them. As if it could have as significant of an impact, but in a slow-burn sort of way.

Time will tell. What I do know is how much I enjoy being silly with a group of people I have no context of, outside the small yoga studio we meet at every Monday evening. Only two more weeks before we wrap up. 🥲

Last week ...

... I started a course in high heels dance. It's two classes a week, for one month, and I'm having a lot of fun with it.

... I rebuilt my professional website to reflect what I do better, and it's starting to feel pretty good! I also created a small capacity-check for agency owners and team leads, to self-reflect on how good their internal processes actually are. AI makes building and shipping so easy, it's hard to stop doing stuff right now.

... I started promoting my AI workshop in different channels. So far no attendees, but a couple of people could not make it and wished to join if there would be a second one. Let's see!

... I had the first real beach day of the season! Summer has officially arrived.

... I started watching the new Harry Hole show on Netflix. I almost never read crime novels, but I have a weak spot for this particular Norwegian detective, so obviously had to give the series a chance. Four episodes in and it's quite fun! In a very dark way.

This week ...

... I'm flying to Sweden on Wednesday morning and back home on Saturday. It's a friends birthday and a chance to see a bunch of people, can't wait!

... I rebuilt my task management system and AI coaching dashboard to streamline it more, and this week I want to write a guide to how I did it. Hold me accountable, please.

... I will focus on Linkedin and Substack content. I'm trying to bridge out business wise, as some of you might have noticed, and a couple of weeks ago I followed this guide for guidance with audience and content strategy. Very helpful, and fun to experiment with!

Happy Monday!

When I opened my laptop on Sunday evening three whole days had past since last time. Three days without any work shouldn't feel radical, but it does. Especially now, when I'm deep in the AI rabbit hole and trying to build something new. The first day I wanted to reach for my laptop all the time, an addict desperate for her next fix. By the second day my mind felt more clear. And by the time I finally was able to pick up my Macbook from the bag, I was giddy with excitement.

Junkie, or just excited about work? I'll let someone else be the judge of that.

Last week ...

... I had a bunch of deadlines, so work was the main focus.

... I got stuck in an improv scene and survived. I can hold presentations and workshops about topics I know well, no problem. But to be spontaneous on stage is a whole different story. This class everyone had been incredibly funny, and I felt the pressure. But you know what happened? I did not manage to develop the story, felt stuck, and ... it was fine. Even fun, at times. Of course I wish I had done better, but I was not thrown into a shame spiral. Felt like a win.

... we drove to visit friends at TDF, a regenerative village in Portugal, for the second edition of Harmonia, a small festival. Beautiful land, glad we finally got to see it! I'm impressed with anyone who could live in a community like this, sharing an apartment with one person is more than enough daily collaboration for me.

... we drove all the way to Spain, near Malaga, to visit family. Got treated to a delicious tasting menu at Elysium, which I highly recommend if you happen to be in the area. They've been open for less than two years and already have a recommendation from Michelin, but I bet they will have a star before the year is over.

Happiest was probably Tom though, since the first dish was frog legs and I had to eat it. Besides the obvious trauma for a picky eater, it was pretty good (and tasted like chicken).

... I took some headshots of a friend who's writing a book and was reminded how much I do love photography. Maybe I'll start doing more of it again.

This week ...

... I'm starting a high heels class! It's a one month intensive, two classes per week. I'm already busy, but I miss dancing so much and this one works well both for time and location. Very excited for it!

... I have a quiet week for client work so will put my attention fully on developing my own side projects. Lots of content coming up.

... I'm attending a couple of AI and networking events. With my new focus for work I want to get to know others who are in a similar position, so wish me luck!

Happy Monday!

It's so nice to be home. And yet, I have two weekends away scheduled in April. Who's in charge of this travel planning?!

...

Yeah, this was all me. Apparently turning 40 did not come with immediate wisdom.

Last week ...

... I spent quite some time on developing a structure for my AI workshop. Now, let's see if I actually get any sign-ups! I promise it will be valuable.

... I published another edition of Between Deadlines, on AI vanity metrics. Felt quite happy with it in the end, but not sure how well it resonated with others. Let me know your thoughts if you read it!

... I got back to Amplify bootcamp and paid with muscle pain for three days.

... I finished reading Hamnet, by Maggie O'Farrell. I've had the book since it came out, after hearing Maggie on London Writers Salon, but for some reason did not pick up. Beautiful book, incredibly sad at times.

This week ...

... will be mostly about work. Offboarding one client, multiple deadlines with another, and laying groundwork for new clients. The AI rabbit hole is real, too.

... we're doing a roadtrip to Spain for a family visit! Looking forward to catch up on some podcasts on the way.

... I'm doing my usual strength workouts, and it seems my foot inflammation is healed, so might attempting a short run as well.🤞 Hiking season in getting closer and my cardio needs some work.

Happy Monday!

Late with this post, but phew, I needed some time to catch up with myself after last week. Amsterdam, Bruges, Sittard, back to Amsterdam again. And now, finally, home. We've only been away for a week, but with our packed schedule, it felt like a month.

Last week ...

... I flew to Amsterdam and saw Vidura's new show. It was a success, and everyone in our group got roasted to some degree. Definitely worth going to if he's in your city.

... I visited Bruges! Can't remember the last time I was just a tourist, with nothing else to do than walking around, drinking beer, and quote my favorite movie. I need more of this in my life. Posted a bunch of stories on IG.

... I was mostly busy hanging out with the Dutchies, but also got some quality solo time in Amsterdam. Like drinking coffee and catching up on newsletters. You guys can do your spiritual retreats, but this is what my healing look like. 😌

This week ...

... I'll enjoy being home. This spring is quite packed with trips and visits, so I'll take any chance I get to chill.

... I'll post an AI workshop I've been developing. There's a lot of people who have not yet gotten into the deeper workflows and possibilities with AI, so I decided to test out a new format here at Kompis. I used to do a lot of trainings and workshops, and honestly, I miss it. It will take place in a few weeks!

... I'll be filling my workout schedule again. One week with no gym was actually just what my injured foot needed, and it seems I might even be able to start running again soon.

... I'll go live with my next Between Deadlines newsletter! Sharing my opinion on vanity metrics in AI implementation and I suspect not everyone agrees with it.

Wednesday was my last day as 39. I went to the biweekly non-fiction writing meetup, as usual. Told them it was my birthday tomorrow, "I thought you were 30!" one woman exclaimed. I said it's all due to wearing sunscreen and left in good spirits.

Then I went to my hairdresser. "Wow, they are coming," she said, holding up a batch of grays for me to see. As if staring at your blob-shape in the mirror for an hour wasn't a large enough dose of humility.

Alright, I'm 40. I guess I have a couple of years to get used to this before I start dreading 50. Hopefully I can afford a great therapist by that time. 🙃

Last week

... I had a lovely birthday. Tom surprised me with an afternoon in a Russian sauna, 40 minutes outside Lisbon. Sauna, cold plunge and uninterrupted reading time. Also got a workout done in the morning, and went out for dinner at Cosmo, one of my favorites in Lisbon.

... I met with friends to grieve/celebrate on Friday. Took zero pictures but throughly enjoyed both drinks and the company. If you love cocktails and art deco vibes, go here.

... I finished reading Vladimir, I love a morally dubious character, fun read all around.

... I watched Project Hail Mary. We ended up being ten people going together. Last time I went to the movies with friends like that was maybe at 16? Much fun, just like the movie.

... I spent some time decompressing from the week by, well, working, BUT, sitting in the park and outside at coffeeshops. The weather is really lovely right now.

This week

... I'm flying to Amsterdam on Tuesday morning. Dutch Easter.

... I'll finally get to visit Bruges! I'm obsessed with the movie In Bruges, in a way nobody seem to relate to. Maybe you haven't watched it enough times? Anyway, Tom is inviting me to a trip to Bruges as my birthday present and obviously I'm so excited I'm gonna watch the movie again.

... I'm going to Vidura's new show. I've seen him twice before and my expectations are high!

... I'm still reading The Inner Game of Tennis during the day, started Hamnet as my evening read.

... I'm still working on a few posts, the one about my AI workflow is almost done and will be published tomorrow or Wednesday.

Happy Monday!