Catching up with AI related newsletters and I wish was able to just quit my job and go work on a nature reserve or something akin. It's like AI companies are dead set on ruining humanity. Like what do they expect if AI indeed reaches awareness level? Currently reading a Dutch book at my […]

FedEx is terrible. I mean all delivery services have their issues, but FedEx...wow. 1. Announce delivery will be on Thursday. 2. On Wednesday 9:50, get a text it will be delivered today between 10:00 and 14:00. 3. 18:00 still no delivery 4. New delivery time: before 22:00 5. 18:20 Get another […]

Project Hail Mary was fantastic. So glad it didn't disappoint compared to the book. A hopeful movie in these times. But then I am someone who finds comfort in a book like 'A long way to a small, angry planet' and 'Project Hail Mary'. "You are friend, I not let you die."

For my last sent newsletter I used a new template format. I assumed I assigned the newsletter a title, the test email showed a Subject title. It's been over a week since I sent it and I noticed a very low opening rate. Only today I realised it probably sent with Subject "New email". So most […]

Pet peeve # 3098: People who text me about something completely random assuming I should know what they are talking about. Sorry, but I'm not going to ask about it. I will just send you an emoji reaction and move on with my day.

You'd think someone in the IT field knows better. Also, the photos in the article are giving my book is coming out soon vibes. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/26/ai-chatbot-users-lives-wrecked-by-delusion

"So yes – people are not friction. But friction is essential to human work. Friction is what a sculptor feels when the chisel meets the stone. Friction is what turns a rough surface into something smooth and polished. The frictionless version of creative work isn’t faster creative work. It’s no […]

People who are disabled or and have a chronic illness: how do you keep yourself from negative thoughts such as "I'm lazy", "I should do more", "I should participate more". I'm late deaf and have a chronic illness that causes chronic fatigue and I have the bad habit of comparing myself to other […]

In 2018 I walked for miles a weeklong in Manhattan in a pair of old Vans. No pain. Today I ordered a pair of Nike Structure 26 after doing research what kind of shoes are best for feet that start hurting after long city walks. Research actually said Brooks or Hoka's are best, but I'm sure […]

The passage of time and the fact that we are on earth only briefly is very noticeable when you live in an apartment building in a densely inhabited neighbourhood. Lately older residents have passed away, and their home is cleared in one afternoon by family or other instance if they had no one […]

Sunny spring day today. I voted in the local election; for living standards, affordable housing, healthcare, more green and all that gooey good stuff. Then I went to Delft for a walk around and taking some photos. Wanted to check out a new indie English bookshop, but it was closed. Then I went […]

Today a good friend moved back to Aruba from the Netherlands after almost 25 years here. At this age it's hard to have a friend move away. Making new and good friends when one is over 40 and deaf is almost impossible.

I came across this essay yesterday that really hit home for me. "We’re told that health, like success, is something you earn through discipline, restraint, and the right behaviour. If you work hard enough, comply closely enough, optimise carefully enough, improvement will follow. Chronic […]

"Somewhere a kid is saving up for this. He has read every review. Watched the introduction video four or five times. Looked up every spec, every benchmark, every footnote. He has probably walked into an Apple Store and interrogated an employee about it ad nauseam. He knows the consensus. He […]

I hate the dark patterns and plain robbery of airlines and hotels to increase the prices when you check again a few days later. That's more likely will make me no want to go any more instead of paying more. Lets see if I can bypass it :(

The housing company that own my building just gave many people today a scare. My heart dropped a bit when reading the letter. I got the yearly letter about my tax info, in advance of possible rent increase. But this year they claim I live with housemates and together make a year income of […]

I haven't read any blog or essay on this ..but, what happens when the amount of new original content online disappears because people give up due to AI. Then AI will have no content anymore to steal. AI will become less and less useful. What then? What happens when there is no more Wikipedia […]

Bought another backpack today. Still in search of the one that is just right. Have been using the Fjällräven Raven 20 for the past year on my outings, it isn't quite it. Back is to stiff and it won't sit upright. For work, I have been using the Sandqvist Bernt the past 2.5 years. It's ok, no […]

De website van Gemeente Den Haag is een stuk ergernis, mijn God. Toen de belasting aanslag beschikbaar was en ik wilde inloggen om te kijken wat het bedrag is, kan je niet inloggen, steeds een of andere vage error. Aantal dagen later lukte het wel. Vandaag wil ik de belasting betalen en weer […]

Some people say CSS is not a programming language. Me, I use it for things like this to alert journalists that the articles they copied pasted into WordPress editor has Microsoft safelinks in them. #css

I noticed lately an increase on websites that don't work. Login of municipality websites breaks when tax bill is ready, or I'll be in the middle of booking a text transcriber on their website, and suddenly it doesn't work. Login in on my personal work account to download salary documents […]

The Netherlands has Stockholm syndrome. All alarm bells are ringing to stop using BigTech or anything American. The Netherlands: we are selling our national login system company to all important/critical websites to a US based company. The Dutch tax service: We are going to contract US based […]

Just sold a chair on the secondhand website. They paid cash. I'm like "What am I going to do with cash?" I have been totally absorbed in the cashless society, but then I remembered. Bookshops!! They still gladly take cash.

I really need to start carrying a small notebook and get into the habit of jotting down every thought or idea the moment I have them. I reached the age that I will forget what the idea of thought was 10 minutes later. I only remember I had a good idea.

Sterkte 😢

Every time I have vivid dreams about songs and wake up with a refrain playing in my head, I get emotional. Late deaf 18 years now and the way my brain just turns on the radio on a song sometimes. Brains are amazing. #latedeaf #music

I never watch ice speed skating, except every four years during the Olympics when The Netherlands makes it to semi and final heats. Also, the amount of men who get disqualified or penalized during the relays and pursuit. Train 4 years to make stupid mistakes.

Came across this self-made speech to text transcriber on the deaf sub reddit. I would love to have this for live conversations. I do not need one for the phone. While my Speaksee (currently not working due to software issues) is great, it is expensive, and I depend on state funding (for work […]

That one time I decide to get up because I can't sleep, it's 4:20a.m., and decided to get my work macbook to troubleshoot some nasty bug. I leave my phone and glasses in the bedroom. Working in the living room without the lights turned on, suddenly the website won't load. Me: "Great, internet […]

People of Mastodon, is there a way to search through my Bookmarks? I have way too many, and I need to find some I saved over two years ago.

Got a hundred of spam emails on my Paypal email. Many seem to originate from zenddesk mail server or companies support. Luckily it was an empty inbox and I could just mass select all mall and mark as spam in one go. But not great, means a company I paid with PayPal had a breach.

Me still looking for a good replacement for Google Sheet, the last Google thing I'm fully still using. Meanwhile, people installing A.I. Openclaw on their phones and computers and giving it complete control over all their data and life.

Being a server security n00b I wonder: Can an IT personal who manages the domain DNS see every activity of a website (which domain they manage) on an independent server to which they have no access whatsoever?

I'm not fully digging 'Blind Sherlock's portrayal of a blind person. But then again disabled characters are seldom portrayed true to form by abled actors (?).

I have an old dormant Tumblr page and once in a while I'll scroll through all the reblogged content. Just now I realized I can be sure all these mood and vibes photos there are 100% AI free.

Starting the weekend mad due to the new government coalition agreement. What is it with these liberal right that they keep beating down on the common and vulnerable people? And why the fuck do so many people vote for them? Anyhow, this chronic ill person will be paying more for healthcare […]

When non-techy people use the in browser translator to change the CMS admin language and be like it also changes this and this to another language, as if I did it or can influence it. I like working with websites, but I really have zero patience when the random reader mails with errors, and you […]

[Spoiler - Queer Eye] I'm on episode 3 of the final season of Queer Eye and this woman goes: Divorce broke me My house burned down My uncle died Then my dad died My cat died in the house fire I only get the kids half the time. She is so defeated, she isn't even excited her house is finally […]

Next to the adrenaline infusion I get from being in a new place and seeing new sights. It is the absolute joy I get from disconnecting and chilling in my hotel room when done exploring. https://darice.org/2026/01/28/travel-escapism/

I have been looking for a new backpack for a while now. Yesterday I came across the Filson Journeyman and of course I get fixated on an overpriced backpack. No secondhanded ones available on the Dutch shops.

More and more I realize that accessibility is part of everything. In all levels of decision-making, everywhere, there should be a disabled person who guards the accessibility. Case in point: In the Netherlands since gas price went up, in the name of sustainability in many buildings the heating […]

"This is the end of trust, and it does not reset. You cannot invade a democratic ally and then say “my bad” four years later. The psychological break will be permanent. Europe will realize that the United States is no longer a partner but a predator. They will build their own defense […]

When you are held hostage at home waiting for a delivery which you need to sign for. It's Friday and all I want is to go get some tacos.

Getekend https://actie.degoedezaak.org/petitions/stop-de-amerikaanse-overname-digid?source=rawlink&utm_source=rawlink&share=e7f71a39-aa76-4da0-bd7c-357f139dd753 Het liefst zouden alle Amerikaanse tech verboden moeten worden voor alle instanties.

Asking myself if for 2026 I should keep talking about (deaf) accessibility and inclusive design.

I don't watch her show, her books are still on my to read list. But thank goodness for her voice of reason when desperation is engulfing my mind. Like Superwoman, there she is on late night shows. Rachel Maddow.

In 12 shorts months, I went from dreaming of a next trip to New York City to wanting to yell fuck the US and fuck MAGA. The citizens should burn down the country and get rid of this government.

If WordPress could do one thing, I'd like them to remove all the AI "functionalities" and make them optional. #wordpress #noai

For a couple of years now, I had the same toastie machine. A Tefal Croc Time. You just plug it in, the light is red, and it turns green when ready to use. Last month it stopped working. Fine one day, dead the next one. While browsing online today for a new one, I see the same model and I see […]

The Dutch railway never saw snow, so my manager told me to go home early before all trains stops riding. Now I'm warm and cosy at home, whereas at the office it was freezing cold.