Earth Day reflections

This Earth Day, I see yet another "Severe weather" alert on my phone. On LinkedIn, the algorithm keeps boosting the usual posts about productivity and growth, while green companies brag about using resource-hungry LLMs, and every text field on the web now seems eager to rewrite my thoughts using AI…

Technology Other · 2 min · Apr 22, 2024

artificial intelligence sustainability

The story of stories and the land

A story of how stories changed as we untethered them from the land, and how we might remember stories that lead us back to the land and rewrite current stories.

Other · 4 min · Oct 19, 2023

spoken word poetry storytelling

Safer internet forum: lessons learned and observations from an outsider

A while ago, I was invited to join the Safer Internet Forum as a speaker. Huh, me? I am aware of various safer internet initiatives aimed at children, but as I neither have kids nor work with kids, it’s not really something I think about often. Especially because I imagine I can keep myself relat...

Other · 5 min · Oct 18, 2013

My grandma is now online

I spoke to my grandma over the phone yesterday. When I called, she was just “behind the computer”. I know she’s been taking a computer class at her local center for senior citizens for a while now. But I never expected her to show so much determination and to keep at it. Well, yesterday I was pro...

Other · 2 min · Aug 15, 2013

Entering the digital playing field as one, big European team

The past few months have been a crazy roller coaster ride for me. A new job at a cool hardware startup that is trying to improve indoor living (on top of my usual blogging about mobile tech, encouraging Rails Girls, running and what not), and I’ve just returned from the amazing Dublin, where I’ve...

Other · 5 min · Jun 22, 2013

500 days of writing 750 words each day

I already blogged about why I write at least 750 words each day when I reached one straight year of regular writing. Today I’m celebrating another milestone: 500 days of interrupted writing. In other words: I’ve just added a Space Bird, the ultimate streak badge you can earn, to my collection!

Other · 1 min · Apr 6, 2013

How I found great chocolate in Brussels and glimpsed the flame of hope

I found myself in a bit of an awkward situation when I had to explain to my friends why I would be flying to Brussels this week. Sure, I knew the official answer. I have been selected as one of the 25 members of the "Young Advisors Expert Group on implementation of the Digital Agenda for Europe"...

Women Other · 10 min · Mar 7, 2013

Why I write at least 750 words a day

One year ago I first came across this strange website, 750words.com (thanks, Swizec!). Simple concept, simple instructions. Write 750 words. And come back again tomorrow, write at least 750 more. Rinse and repeat. 750 words. Each and every day in the past year. Now a total of 356,548 words, 367 ...

Technology Other · 5 min · Nov 24, 2012

Sharable Bits: Compliments, Doing Nothing, Standing Desk

Blog post: Genuine compliments matterStudents say: "I'd rather have a compliment than sex or pizza!"Why it's worth sharing: Vicki A. Davis reminds us about how important it is to give genuine compliments to our students and colleagues every day. I certainly try to follow this advice in my day to...

Other · 2 min · Jan 24, 2011

Happy Holidays

I just wanted to stop by for a minute to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a 2011 full of new discoveries with my favorite video of this holiday season. See you next year!Originally published at http://ialja.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-holidays.html

Other · 0 min · Dec 26, 2010

Embracing the mind games and bad runs

I recently came across the following short movie about the mind games runners face when choosing to run and challenge themselves on a daily basis. I think it's a great snapshot if internal battles that go through our heads when we try to do something outside our comfort zone:Yes, it's hard to go...

Other · 2 min · Dec 14, 2010

Sharable Bits: The Mystery of Life, Firefox Cuteness, Winter Running

Discovery: Life built with toxic chemicalsMono Lake Research area (source: NASA)Why it's worth sharing: When NASA announced a press conference about a new discovery related to astrobiology, many were hoping for a confirmation of extraterrestrial life. The actual news wasn't as huge as expected -...

Technology Other · 2 min · Dec 4, 2010