The Story of Stuff... and plastic

Went to marine town Den Helder yesterday (you'll find out why within the next few days!) and was struck by this 'sea collection' on the dike, as a result of heavy winds. If this is only one fence in one place on earth this week, I am beginning to understand why there's that plastic mountain by the size of France and Spain combined, floating around in the Pacific Ocean... Luckily there's 'The Story of Stuff Project', contributing to making people environmentally, socially and economically aware. You may have seen their Story of Stuff-film, but there are also great illustrated stories on Cosmetics, Bottled Water, Cap & Trade and - just recently released - Electronics. Watch these short films here.

With a little help from my friend

While Sjors was helping me sew a new little (functional) curtain, we discussed Yvette's great new initiative, the 'Ministry of Wonder'. We decided to apply together. Me as the Minister of Attention (Minister van Aandacht) and Sjors as a Secretary of Street (Straatssecretaris).

Favourite colour

Back finally! I'm participating in a business plan competition that's being held in the north of my country and last Thursday my pitch got me through to the finals! Wohoo! Time for calming the mind now with my favourite colour: green. After having had nothing but rain and fog in Exmoor National Park in West-England last summer (first 3 photo's), we enjoyed today's beautiful sunrays and a picknick (last 2 photo's) in our very own La Hollande!

zuchtje wind

Gisteren heb ik een geschenk op maat verstuurd voor een gastdocent in 'Omgaan met weerstand'. Hij leert mensen o.a. hoe je kunt 'meebewegen in de weerstand'. Mijn beeld bij 'weerstand'? Iemand die of iets dat botst op een muurtje (au!) binnenin je. Meebewegen zou je kunnen doen door die iemand of dat iets door je heen te laten waaien. Lekker, zo'n zuchtje wind... Dus verZET (je met) een stempel!

Sent off a custom made gift for a visiting lecturer in 'Dealing with resistance'. One of the things he teaches is how to 'move along within resistance'. My view on how to do this? By letting people or things blow through you, rather than letting them hit the walls (ouch!) inside you. So in resistance situations, remind yourself and put on a wind-stamp!

Pumpkin tree

Wim and his wife live in our street. When you walk through the gate into their back yard, you enter Wims abundantly green paradise where literally everything that grows is edible. Prunes, raspberries, blackberries, varieties of lettuce, rucola, several kinds of tomatoes, verveine, courgettes, aubergines, paprika's, cucumbers, herbs, strawberries, wheatgrass, ancient edible plants... to name but a few. Wim puts attention in everything he does. Last year his kiwi tree produced 6000 (!) kiwi's. And his pumpkins are so happy that they've started to grow in trees!

Shifting

Spent last Tuesday clearing up the Noorderzon-production-explosion in my studio and did the rest of the house as well. A clean house is a clear head, so no more excuses: my attention needs to now shift to my business plan, of which the (provisional) financial part needs to be handed in 5 days from now. It's hard to think of a bigger shift at the moment: from my right brain where life seems comfortably colourful, associative, timeless and boundless (and where I lived the last 2 months!), to my plain boring left brain (or so my prejudiced ego says). Yeah, I know I've got both of them for a reason, but did yóu know that Jennifer Lee actually teaches how to make a right brain business plan?

In 't sprookjesbos

Meer sprookjesbosfoto's vind je hier.

"En die mooie jurk?", hoor ik je denken... Die is van House of Dots!