https://jangobrecht.com/Recent content in Home on jan’s thoughtsHugoen-GBCopyright © 2016-2026, Jan Gobrecht.Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/400-hours-2026/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/400-hours-2026/<h1 id="400-hours-of-activity-in-2026">400 Hours of Activity in 2026</h1> <p>In 2026, I&rsquo;m taking on a new challenge: 400 hours of activity. That&rsquo;s cycling, running, walking, hiking - really anything that gets me moving. I&rsquo;m logging it all on Strava and pull it on this page.</p> <p>To hold myself accountable to everyone on the world wide web, you can follow my progress below.</p> <h2 id="hows-it-going">How&rsquo;s it going?</h2> <div class="activity-cards-widget"> <div id="activityCardsContainer"> <p class="loading">Loading activity metrics...</p> </div> </div> <style> .activity-cards-widget { max-width: 900px; margin: 0 auto 40px; } .activity-cards-widget .loading { text-align: center; padding: 20px; color: #888; } .activity-cards-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 20px; margin-top: 20px; } .activity-metric-card { padding: 24px; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid; transition: transform 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease; } .activity-metric-card:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); } .activity-card-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 16px; } .summary .activity-card-header { justify-content: space-between; } .activity-card-icon { width: 12px; height: 12px; border-radius: 50%; } .activity-card-title { font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; } .activity-card-stats { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 20px; } .activity-stat { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; } .activity-stat-label { font-size: 0.75em; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.5px; opacity: 0.6; font-weight: 600; } .activity-stat-value { font-size: 1.6em; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.2; } .activity-stat-unit { font-size: 0.65em; opacity: 0.7; margin-left: 4px; font-weight: 500; } .activity-stat-secondary { font-size: 0.8em; opacity: 0.5; margin-top: 2px; } .activity-metric-card.summary { grid-column: 1 / -1; } .summary .activity-card-stats { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); gap: 24px; } @media (max-width: 768px) { .summary .activity-card-stats, .activity-card-stats { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } } .summary-progress-bar { margin-bottom: 20px; position: relative; } .summary-last-updated { font-size: 0.8em; opacity: 0.6; white-space: nowrap; } .summary-progress-header { display: flex; justify-content: flex-end; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 0.9em; font-weight: 600; } .summary-progress-track { width: 100%; height: 12px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: visible; position: relative; } .summary-progress-target { position: absolute; top: -2px; bottom: -2px; width: 2px; background-color: #ef4444; opacity: 0.7; z-index: 10; cursor: pointer; } .summary-progress-target::before { content: ""; position: absolute; top: -4px; left: -3px; width: 8px; height: 8px; background-color: #ef4444; border-radius: 50%; opacity: 0.8; } .summary-progress-fill { height: 100%; display: flex; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden; } .summary-progress-segment { height: 100%; transition: all 0.2s ease; cursor: pointer; position: relative; } .summary-progress-segment:hover { opacity: 0.8; filter: brightness(1.1); } .summary-progress-segment:first-child { border-radius: 6px 0 0 6px; } .summary-progress-segment:last-child { border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0; } .summary-progress-segment:only-child { border-radius: 6px; } @media (prefers-color-scheme: light) { .summary-progress-track { background: #e5e7eb; } } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { .summary-progress-track { background: #374151; } } @media (prefers-color-scheme: light) { .activity-metric-card { background: #ffffff; border-color: #e5e7eb; box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); } .activity-metric-card:hover { box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15); } .activity-card-title { color: #111827; } .activity-stat-label { color: #6b7280; } .activity-stat-value { color: #111827; } } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { .activity-metric-card { background: #1f2937; border-color: #374151; box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3); } .activity-metric-card:hover { box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); } .activity-card-title { color: #f9fafb; } .activity-stat-label { color: #9ca3af; } .activity-stat-value { color: #f9fafb; } } @media (max-width: 640px) { .activity-stat-value { font-size: 1.4em; } } .weekly-details-toggle { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; margin-top: 24px; padding: 12px 16px; border-radius: 8px; border: 1px solid; cursor: pointer; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: 600; transition: background 0.15s ease; width: 100%; text-align: left; font-family: inherit; } .weekly-details-toggle .toggle-arrow { transition: transform 0.2s ease; font-size: 0.8em; } .weekly-details-toggle.open .toggle-arrow { transform: rotate(90deg); } .weekly-details-content { display: none; margin-top: 16px; } .weekly-details-content.open { display: block; } .weekly-chart-card { padding: 20px; border-radius: 12px; border: 1px solid; margin-bottom: 16px; } .weekly-chart-card h4 { margin: 0 0 4px 0; font-size: 1em; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; } .weekly-chart-card h4 .activity-card-icon { display: inline-block; } .weekly-chart-container { width: 100%; height: 260px; } .weekly-change-row { display: flex; gap: 16px; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-top: 8px; padding-top: 8px; font-size: 0.8em; opacity: 0.7; border-top: 1px solid; } .weekly-change-item { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 4px; } .change-up { color: #16a34a; } .change-down { color: #dc2626; } .change-flat { opacity: 0.5; } @media (prefers-color-scheme: light) { .weekly-details-toggle { background: #f9fafb; border-color: #e5e7eb; color: #374151; } .weekly-details-toggle:hover { background: #f3f4f6; } .weekly-chart-card { background: #ffffff; border-color: #e5e7eb; } .weekly-change-row { border-color: #e5e7eb; } } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { .weekly-details-toggle { background: #1f2937; border-color: #374151; color: #d1d5db; } .weekly-details-toggle:hover { background: #263244; } .weekly-chart-card { background: #1f2937; border-color: #374151; } .weekly-change-row { border-color: #374151; } } </style> <script> (function () { const activityColors = { Ride: "#2563eb", Run: "#dc2626", Walk: "#16a34a", Swim: "#0891b2", WeightTraining: "#9333ea", Hike: "#ea580c", Workout: "#64748b", Yoga: "#ec4899", VirtualRide: "#3b82f6", EBikeRide: "#06b6d4", }; const activityLabels = { Ride: "Cycling", Run: "Running", Walk: "Walking", Swim: "Swimming", WeightTraining: "Strength", Hike: "Hiking", Workout: "Workout", Yoga: "Yoga", VirtualRide: "Indoor Cycling", EBikeRide: "E-Bike", }; async function loadActivityCards() { try { const response = await fetch("/data/activity2026-stats.json"); const data = await response.json(); if (!data?.byActivity || Object.keys(data.byActivity).length === 0) { document.getElementById("activityCardsContainer").innerHTML = '<p class="loading">No activity data yet.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/cycling-2025/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/cycling-2025/<h1 id="my-5000-km-cycling-goal-in-2025">My 5,000 km Cycling Goal in 2025</h1> <p>In 2025, I set out to cycle at least 5,000 km (or ~3,106 mi). That&rsquo;s roughly four times the length of the Rhine River or 40 times the length of Hadrian&rsquo;s Wall, according to a wonky internet source.</p> <p>The real aim was never the distance itself: it was building endurance and cardio fitness. And even at 3,422 km, I still covered more ground on two wheels than I typically do on four. I didn&rsquo;t hit my target, but I&rsquo;d go as far as to say it genuinely changed my life for the better.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/yaml-to-json/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/yaml-to-json/<h1 id="a-simple-yaml-to-json-converter">A simple YAML to JSON Converter</h1> <p>I needed simple YAML to JSON tool to convert my <a href="https://gohugo.io/content-management/front-matter/">Hugo frontmatter</a>. Since I&rsquo;m not wild about SEO, I spare you any additional faff. So, here it is, a simple YAML to JSON converter (with a fancy button):</p> <div class="container"> <textarea id="yamlInput" placeholder="Enter your YAML here" required ></textarea> <button onclick="convertYamlToJson()">Convert to JSON</button> <pre id="output">👀</pre> </div> <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/js-yaml/4.1.0/js-yaml.min.js"></script> <script> function convertYamlToJson() { const yamlInput = document.getElementById("yamlInput").value; const output = document.getElementById("output"); try { const jsonObj = jsyaml.load(yamlInput); const jsonString = JSON.stringify(jsonObj, null, 2); output.textContent = jsonString; } catch (e) { output.textContent = "Error: " + e.message; } } </script> <style> textarea { width: 100%; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 10px; } button { background-color: #ffffff; border: 0; border-radius: 0.5rem; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111827; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.25rem; margin: 10px 0; padding: 0.75rem 1rem; text-align: center; text-decoration: none #d1d5db solid; text-decoration-thickness: auto; box-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1), 0 1px 2px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06); cursor: pointer; user-select: none; -webkit-user-select: none; touch-action: manipulation; } button:hover { background-color: rgb(249, 250, 251); } button:focus { outline: 2px solid transparent; outline-offset: 2px; } button:focus-visible { box-shadow: none; } #output { white-space: pre-wrap; padding: 10px; border: 1px solid #888; } </style>https://jangobrecht.com/about/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/about/<h1 id="about-me">About me</h1> <p><figure class="about"><img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/me.jpg" alt="Espresso-fueled Jan" width="200" height="200"> </figure> At 16, I started my first web design business. I remember teasing questions from “well-established” local entrepreneurs, who asked me if I cycled to meetings. In fact, I did. What followed were countless web development projects, from simple business card style websites to customised content management systems and online shops (at a time when people were afraid to use their real name and would hesitate to share their credit card details online).</p>https://jangobrecht.com/guestbook/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/guestbook/<h1 id="guestbook">Guestbook</h1> <p>Are you an actual person and not a b0t? Why not say hi or leave me a nice message? I&rsquo;d love to hear what you think about my website! <div id="guestbook"> <div id="guestbook-entries"></div> <form id="guestbook-form"> <h3>Leave a message</h3> <div> <label for="name">Name:</label><br /> <input type="text" id="name" name="name" required /> </div> <div> <label for="website">Website:</label><br /> <input type="url" id="website" name="website" /> </div> <div> <label for="message">Message:</label><br /> <textarea id="message" name="message" required></textarea> </div> <div> <div id="emoji-preview"> <img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/bbcode/rolling-jan.png" alt=":rolling-jan:" title=":rolling-jan:" class="clickable-emoji" width="30" height="30" /> <img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/bbcode/fart.png" alt=":fart:" title=":fart:" class="clickable-emoji" width="30" height="30" /> <img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/bbcode/beer.png" alt=":beer:" title=":beer:" class="clickable-emoji" width="30" height="30" /> <img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/bbcode/chompy.gif" alt=":chompy:" title=":chompy:" class="clickable-emoji" width="30" height="30" /> <img src="https://jangobrecht.com/images/bbcode/ceilingcat.jpg" alt=":ceilingcat:" title=":ceilingcat:" class="clickable-emoji" width="30" height="30" /> </div> </div> <div> <label for="antispam" >Anti-spam: What is 1 + 1? (Please answer in words, e.g., 'four')</label ><br /> <input type="text" id="antispam" name="antispam" required /> </div> <button type="submit" id="guestbook-submit">Submit</button> </form> </div> <script> const API_URL = "https://api.jangobrecht.com/api.php"; const emojiMap = { ":rolling-jan:": "/images/bbcode/rolling-jan.png", ":fart:": "/images/bbcode/fart.png", ":furz:": "/images/bbcode/furz.png", ":chompy:": "/images/bbcode/chompy.gif", ":ceilingcat:": "/images/bbcode/ceilingcat.jpg", ":beer:": "/images/bbcode/beer.png", }; function replaceEmojis(text) { return text.replace( /:(rolling-jan|fart|furz|chompy|ceilingcat|beer):/g, (match) => { return `<img src="${emojiMap[match]}" alt="${match}" class="custom-emoji" width="30" height="30">`; } ); } function fetchEntries() { fetch(API_URL) .then((response) => { if (!response.ok) { throw new Error("Network response was not ok"); } return response.json(); }) .then((entries) => { const entriesContainer = document.getElementById("guestbook-entries"); entriesContainer.innerHTML = ""; if (entries.length === 0) { entriesContainer.innerHTML = "<p>No entries yet. Leave a message! :)</p>https://jangobrecht.com/now/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/now/<h1 id="my-now-page">My now page</h1> <h2 id="what-is-jan-up-to-right-now">What is Jan up to right now?</h2> <p>I&rsquo;m building an eCommerce company with true customer focus. I feel extremely lucky that I run the company together with my buddy, <a href="https://www.danielulrich.com">Daniel</a>.</p> <p>I&rsquo;m working on a new name and website for my collection of web projects.</p> <p>If you <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/cycling-2025/">followed my progress throughout 2025</a> and <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/blog/cycling-2025-review/">read my review of the challenge</a>, you can see that my cycle commute has turned into a full-blown hobby. I try to get on the bike as much as possible. I spend a lot of time at the desk and cycling gives me the perfect reason to spend more time outside. I&rsquo;m busy planning some more tours around Perthshire (Aberfeldy &amp; Loch Tay was amazing!), the East Coast of Scotland and Scottish Borders.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/contact/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/contact/<h1 id="contact-me">Contact me</h1> <p>Just <a href="mailto:me@jangobrecht.com">drop me an email</a> but please don’t send spam. Cheers!</p>https://jangobrecht.com/public-gpg-key/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/public-gpg-key/<h1 id="public-gpg-key">Public GPG Key</h1> <p>My public GPG key for encrypted communication.</p> <pre tabindex="0"><code>-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- mQINBGmoJbcBEADT57H1wzVtfdv44ypOBhwoJu6l6E7pHW+4fyOCFmpyVhxY3vUr 2XZ5Vx90rbp1pE5/UEYz84yg25dvwerOHzPDY931fxyTMhART+qc041SSGxsSq8J bXpDQRVAOzL7yO4FePhhBjAz/ed+ErMUKJWZ8jHluFXHhEbqm3hvVw1FbfoO243u DubQ+GlwB63fV6moRXEvvtG0/nBDxn9s6BwCCOBrt1B8pVpA6CIpmZ+ehNLu8pr5 XX2RfFJI/DA55zUZG1DkIYnVtRdlMxazhtVnkpEWrShAFgjUS20QIaT//hrqo0fQ vHl3owdaeY+icOIDLurcooTV/iz0DFM0I8i3kPQGyVYTmU7mJ5QjrN1zdeZUtYDO hYODCPsiSRj4var9piavR86vD8Cd1YKxNKVsIJvAuc3pZZtkWZ+I7bfLxIH/SpfQ 6HoMH/ygPklt/4KmhaI1XHBl8f/RL7hFEd5d9k5zZ/vwf5W6tJyBJV7LHC7Zp8m7 M2UnuKdzjabbzv4iGJG2E/K0WAYsvLzgwoUjKhrmDmycBc06LcASvcQFOwgfZyDN OxsFy2S+z/EVI1dzGkd8NMQV3iy9+z1iMzpCqfSpYeTbSCnlFxFdXnH+mlG8Xha1 zsSFkjQ2qU09V8ZyuWQPohJa2v8vp3RXAmQu4nHIv8/YztU0nhBTpXQExQARAQAB tBdKYW5nbyA8akBuZ29icmVjaHQuY29tPokCVAQTAQoAPhYhBFvZnai+9foat2yF 9pAjpF6TQkLFBQJpqCW3AhsDBQkDwmcABQsJCAcDBRUKCQgLBRYCAwEAAh4BAheA AAoJEJAjpF6TQkLFmgcP/iBJlEJudLRUgqlN6+z0/U3WNsk89YSruRL/ENp7pDGP c9+ntIbKhBkC528s66djSP3uwgD8QBFdX87iIkRviAmymWE5Sar1WoXwvds3sS3F H59hIzUF8TIeJVj24SW5Xmt/qHlOaFd9c37dG6whcqbzCO2QKZqODlRUenJx4xLi BfuaocXOZnPIAvjGBfiV+eOPkQAA3UOS7vxkAVhsmk1GiDY1GXTRUkiSQjza9Qoj YG8H3/xfcqspl5loZWkLmQhSKOauqsmT3mLMuXSJGb4kZC2VVzK4DP7P4uO6LvRP 8vjxa5evsUf6o1ujaGZi9jQ5MqIKl8z+Ny9OiKXaReFbPD7qe1BKJ6vyZlSC7Vaa 2oxCu76HpW2se0/IxpyW2CRldHC+dtfPagglRP+av1akx6SdUufyOT3XAOR+QU5G up+HSlVLSQ6utkasSkw29gsr/8M/a2WZXpIR+C083Zd+jd70pD80VpZrdg420AIk 6J9ODqsC5xKn9BDcBMlla65i3ExPckRQQW9pS2wa0IU+vXJLAXn4kbHDw6hVQfYe wMAx6G28PmEPqdOZ6LxUS5/TDs6HMVj43er8RgO1bzFnRdy7oRo2idSnVP12wR8N LJgJq8RGq+lQoeOeXY4G6zvvfJMxoTU8Ba0QRkleiez/wnTOjYLatkGgB/TovxQ/ uQINBGmoJbcBEADI1k1t0k79PDQ9406LEtckIq7ygfx/1gh8+UEqpzgLvKPs9hs0 BQMYAzi9xmSWKdVjFHZ+qsvZ/GLn5O/BQfdpDfn4xqePn2R+hHTpg3W3sxbz3he7 SLH3nYuV0XmfPATiRROwMJu4bHQh+gbLKzNnACUzwxbhw2VJpLD7odUoeeooqL7z wSPTTIoKc1SHX0TVW9HH3p47lLSa9quqQjpMFqS3pj/jZqc1a+MGYW+1btTEKb8U rkS/tPcOlOnko2PYlweMMsCqgslpRm+IA7ecAmplv0+CxVb09VTKiLo2zQAGYcZF k+INzYpSt/kZs3Whl8bWqbo1AHM8GWgPVOfX8HSOgrGfnV7hnkdwyHxfY4w3ad1i ejmrcOyTP9F5oRN4TDsJRUE8H7jd9mGljuzvDomY+Nh9DRvGKkLP5W8f+x0RC+3J 9LeZj58FYN1IF07MNOLoXldS05gkaVvfGsdNSEooUrGxmFgmK7TjDKwQTwIw04wU Hk7MUkT9N6gKlEJmuKBmLT28afzAXCrbjEXYJ62XQcTuOIWaikgHO6/JGhDdOt83 KuklRUx8MYnoctagb5uSFUF2SIw3ILHG1sWWCL5Lpf9sqa091s9Bf1SQh/pww9BO frVaLGJLin9M5bgxO5BVFgqaJsxo53wuDBhFsRwdy5tRHl4W6MPSEce/uQARAQAB iQI8BBgBCgAmFiEEW9mdqL71+hq3bIX2kCOkXpNCQsUFAmmoJbcCGwwFCQPCZwAA CgkQkCOkXpNCQsViMw//ZBKTPflV50TItVSSsd1j4NHDdpPTNkG0eeFi4R6slxUX bpyd5veFHBGvU5RVo14/QyyKZ07NJkY8UU9kGVGUawVkU23YFxribMedD1wfVZDT DjIIfVoFBeFPXy5H8C9Dv2wrc5A9BaWR7DVkw/YkWFo7IFa0tBhB/jidWMWj8bxO uGPunKaZrlPpS/zMVzaq5bCp7t9sa2WJ78jmpYxA3WUli1dPW7ebmRJWUpNNwyq7 e026ViVD1+ZzJRv3HKTHzRkTe8xKlyGOyMFNjuHjBwBW+CYDfRCUYH+WZMbINmTM 6hpCOkLsMY9hSyULoLHrNcGOQ6gW8GIxZeHt0l/rw3++prrKyVQbRRj949OoaSBH lTdBT8EfrE0Yw3ESXTjkiRuIL/MQ9xLdro0uPMNQ3naQmksWoZfu5wDs1mc+q0ag KcTObUawCd+GUzLja78E96TOmE72ulhVVAJUetgUTuk7TiwFcohuDY/hTkedRpic JHph2mkESUxF9wKloUrDTj2OaCfFPbG2MXDdJxAWVgB943pZ+gplbFbsiB8sFMtH 9xpzpxBAAvlNY69uF8RxAIeP19gMNQOWeQdC/4AX+9iTyyyJgVMQ8dafBxIDSC+e 9XtFg1INQw38B0dXV2cDrkW/J9vlV6CDA0U3uQ4RX9CvBb2gjLUG39TENSxnfYU= =t6Ff -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- </code></pre>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/question-uncertainty/Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/question-uncertainty/<hr> <p>Issue 388 of <a href="https://www.densediscovery.com">Dense Discovery</a> — one of my favourite newsletters, which I recommend you subscribe to — describes the book <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/481419/how-to-not-know-by-stolzoff-simone/9781529147599"><em>How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers</em></a> by Simone Stolzoff as follows:</p> <blockquote> <p>A mix of reportage and self-help, it makes the case that learning to sit with the unknown is one of the most essential skills of our time.</p> </blockquote> <p>And this is the publisher&rsquo;s summary of <em>How to Not Know</em>:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/what-cycling-taught-me-about-running/Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/what-cycling-taught-me-about-running/<hr> <p>As many of my regular readers know, this year I started running again — after a mere 15-year hiatus. I still fondly remember my regular runs during my student days, pacing around the streets of Mainz. I was young, stupid, and had nearly unlimited energy. I also had lots of papers and exams to finish at the very last minute (usually the night before). Running was the perfect hobby to exchange stale library muck for some desperately needed fresh air.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/instructional-content/Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/instructional-content/<hr> <p>Instructional content dominates YouTube, self-help books, and podcasts. Most of it is autobiography dressed up as method. It is compelling, often entertaining, occasionally inspiring — but it is not teaching, and it should not be mistaken for it. The distinction matters: teaching requires a learner. Instructional content only requires an audience. Yet people take it at face value and use it to make real changes to their lives.</p> <hr> <p>The most-seen advice is systematically the least representative: <a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/survivorship-bias">survivorship bias</a>, amplified by an algorithm. Algorithms surface radical approaches — the ones with dramatic outcomes, clear before-and-afters, a compelling story. Think of &ldquo;I changed my life in 30 days using this simple trick.&rdquo; This is not a university lecture designed to provoke hard thinking. It is raw material dressed up as a complete process — pure content without a strategy for delivering it.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/chasing-simplicity/Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/chasing-simplicity/<hr> <p>I tried contact lenses recently. No complaints about the process itself — they went in fine. The full field of vision was something I missed for a long time. But it made me notice how many steps are involved: Wash your hands, open the packaging, carefully take the lens, place the lens, blink, blink again. Repeat for the other eye. Dispose of the packaging. Every single day.</p> <p>And I thought: glasses just sit on your nose. One step. Done. Sure, they can break — and then you&rsquo;re stuck waiting at the optician&rsquo;s. That&rsquo;s a real downside. But day to day, they&rsquo;re simpler. Less to think about, less to manage.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/under-the-surface/Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/under-the-surface/<hr> <p>Someone said to me recently: &ldquo;You look better now, but it wouldn&rsquo;t be as easy for me as it was for you.&rdquo;</p> <p>I didn&rsquo;t know what to say. Not because they were wrong — changes did happen. But they happened so gradually that I barely noticed them myself. There was no dramatic turning point, no before-and-after moment, no meal planning, no calorie counting, no six-week programme pinned to the fridge. No Instagram stories of my &ldquo;journey&rdquo;. I just shifted things, bit by bit. Under the surface.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/fourteen-years-and-still-arriving/Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:37:13 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/fourteen-years-and-still-arriving/<hr> <p>I arrived in Scotland in September 2012. An Erasmus student at the University of Edinburgh. A twenty-something who was convinced his English was top drawer. I&rsquo;d studied British history and culture at university in Germany. Read English books. Watched English-language TV. Visited the UK on holiday. As prepared as you can be without actually living here.</p> <p>It took about a day to realise I wasn&rsquo;t.</p> <p>My vocabulary was fine. Grammar, mostly solid. But I didn&rsquo;t have the right phrases. The small, automatic ones that native speakers reach for without thinking. I didn&rsquo;t know how to respond to simple questions in a natural way. I must have sounded stilted. Correct, but slightly off.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/intentionally-different/Mon, 16 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/intentionally-different/<hr> <p>I have two laptops. A MacBook with an M1 chip, and a Lenovo ThinkPad X280 running Fedora Linux. The ThinkPad cost me about £200 used on eBay. Decent Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM. More than enough for what it&rsquo;s become: my weekend computer. The one where I read and write, don&rsquo;t work and don&rsquo;t <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/blog/creation-budget/">consume</a>.</p> <p>I always thought my experience should be the same across both machines. Or at least very similar. But then I noticed how much I like the quieter side of my Linux laptop. And I stopped trying to make them match.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/creation-budget/Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/creation-budget/<hr> <p>This will have come a long way, but it all began when I started spending my beer money on cycling gear. Of course, I still have some beer money (<em>what would life be without beer?</em>) but a fair chunk of it shrunk into <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/cycling-2025/">lycra</a>.</p> <p>Something similar happened with my digital spending. Slowly, without a grand plan, I started shifting what I used to spend on entertainment towards tools that help me create.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/cycling-2025-review/Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/cycling-2025-review/<hr> <p>At some point towards the end of 2024, I asked myself: what kind of person do I want to be? It wasn&rsquo;t a crisis. Nothing dramatic. It was a quiet realisation that something was missing — or maybe I&rsquo;d forgotten it was there.</p> <p>For a long time, I must&rsquo;ve looked healthy but I didn&rsquo;t feel healthy. My body was weak — and with that, my mind. Parenthood took its toll, maybe. Short, sometimes sleepless nights, the beautiful but also incredibly taxing task of keeping a small human alive and happy. I often felt all over the place, clinging on to some routines, but largely making it up as we went. Somewhere in that fog, I remembered how good it used to feel to be on a bike.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-003/Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-003/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-003/photo.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-003/photo_hu_3aa7f0d21e55ae3e.webp 360w, /photos/2026-003/photo_hu_6c55fbcfa4065ccb.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-003/photo_hu_1138ba02ca121639.jpg 360w, /photos/2026-003/photo_hu_2d1f2b41ed25fbe2.jpg 720w, /photos/2026-003/photo.jpg 800w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-003/photo_hu_2d1f2b41ed25fbe2.jpg" width="720" height="1080" alt="Third photo of 2026"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Third photo of 2026</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-002/Thu, 01 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-002/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-002/photo.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-002/photo_hu_7abfd0362a31b82.webp 360w, /photos/2026-002/photo_hu_a4501f4e5f5cc61c.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-002/photo_hu_9a5e2cd59209d8fe.jpg 360w, /photos/2026-002/photo_hu_f3b9c8ea55bc59fd.jpg 720w, /photos/2026-002/photo.jpg 800w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-002/photo_hu_f3b9c8ea55bc59fd.jpg" width="720" height="1080" alt="Second photo of 2026"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Second photo of 2026</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-001/Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-001/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-001/photo.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-001/photo_hu_b6c264592d1cffe0.webp 360w, /photos/2026-001/photo_hu_beb2855a524b340c.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2026-001/photo_hu_1101d0b8166e0252.jpg 360w, /photos/2026-001/photo_hu_ed286d4bedadb6db.jpg 720w, /photos/2026-001/photo.jpg 800w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2026-001/photo_hu_ed286d4bedadb6db.jpg" width="720" height="1080" alt="First photo of 2026"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>First photo of 2026</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/hand-cutting-chips/Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/hand-cutting-chips/<hr> <p>Hand-cutting chips takes about 5 minutes. Peel, halve, slice into sticks, toss with a bit of oil. Done.</p> <p>Five minutes is nothing — yet most people reach for the frozen bag. Five seconds: open and dump into basket or tray. I get it. I&rsquo;ve done it too.</p> <p>But somewhere along the way, I started cutting my own. They taste better. And something else happened.</p> <hr> <p>The potatoes we always had lying around — slightly forgotten, sprouting eyes — suddenly had a purpose. Less waste. I started caring where they came from and what variety they were (Maris Piper ftw). Local ones taste different, and it Scotland we&rsquo;re spoilt with choice. Then I was at the farmers&rsquo; market on a Saturday, which wasn&rsquo;t the plan.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/taking-yourself-out-of-the-equation/Mon, 17 Nov 2025 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/taking-yourself-out-of-the-equation/<p>The email lands in your inbox. The tone is blunt, borderline rude. Maybe it&rsquo;s a customer complaint that feels personal. Maybe it&rsquo;s a colleague dismissing your work in a meeting. Whatever it is, you feel it immediately: irritation, defensiveness, maybe anger.</p> <p>That feeling is real. It&rsquo;s valid. And it&rsquo;s also not particularly useful.</p> <p>What happens next determines everything. You can fire back. You can carry the feeling with you for the rest of the day. Or you can acknowledge it: &ldquo;Yes, that was rude,&rdquo; and then decide it doesn&rsquo;t get to dictate your response.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/thinking-in-systems/Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/thinking-in-systems/<p>People think I&rsquo;m a highly analytical person. But actually I&rsquo;m a very creative person who&rsquo;s using processes and systems to channel their creativity into productivity.</p> <p>I&rsquo;m sometimes easily distracted. New ideas arrive constantly, uninvited and insistent. Without structure, I&rsquo;d chase every one of them, abandoning projects halfway through when the next shiny thing appeared. Processes and systems are how I cope with that. They&rsquo;re not constraints on creativity — they&rsquo;re what make creativity useful. They ensure I always know what the next step is, instead of getting lost in possibility.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/preserving-culture-companies-scale/Mon, 10 Nov 2025 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/preserving-culture-companies-scale/<p>One morning you open your email client and notice it: your address has changed. Not dramatically. Just <em>firstname@company</em> became <em>firstname.lastname@company</em>. IT sent a memo. Something about &ldquo;preparing for future growth.&rdquo; Your old address still works. It forwards automatically. Nothing broke.</p> <p>But something shifted.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s not the email address itself. It&rsquo;s what it signals. The company that once felt like a tight crew now needs last names to tell people apart. Informality has given way to structure. And structure, however necessary, carries weight.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/when-good-ideas-stop-moving/Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/when-good-ideas-stop-moving/<p>There&rsquo;s a moment in every growing company when something shifts: Someone has a good idea. The kind that would have been built in a week six months ago. But now it just sits there. Not because it&rsquo;s bad, but because nobody&rsquo;s quite sure if it&rsquo;s their call to make. So the idea goes into Slack, then maybe the backlog, then nowhere.</p> <hr> <p>When you&rsquo;re ten people, decisions happen at lunch (famously called <em><a href="https://aws.amazon.com/executive-insights/content/amazon-two-pizza-team/">two-pizza teams</a></em>). Someone pitches an idea, a few heads nod, and by afternoon it&rsquo;s in motion. At fifty or a hundred people, that same idea touches multiple teams with different priorities and commitments. The good idea hasn&rsquo;t changed, but the organisational context has. Most people don&rsquo;t have the energy to navigate all that, to make a business case and get approval. So they don&rsquo;t act. And with that, ideas stall, or worse, die.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/agentic-commerce/Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/agentic-commerce/<p>For over twenty years, we’ve shopped online in exactly the same way: browse a grid, scan thumbnails, click into product detail pages, compare, repeat. It’s so ingrained we barely notice it anymore. The scroll-and-filter ritual feels like part of the internet itself.</p> <p>But habits we take for granted can dissolve overnight. Remember how search used to work before <a href="https://chatgpt.com/overview">ChatGPT</a> &amp; co? Ten blue links, page after page, clicking through, skimming, bouncing back. Then large language models (LLMs) arrived and quietly rewired the behaviour: you ask, they answer. Research compressed into a single response, with sources linked at the bottom (recently fewer sources are <em>hallucinated</em>).</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/unclear-goals-unshipped-work/Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/unclear-goals-unshipped-work/<p>There’s a certain kind of goal that sounds ambitious, exciting, and perfectly reasonable and still manages to be useless.</p> <p>You’ve probably heard it before:</p> <blockquote> <p>“We want to be the market leader.”<br> “We’re aiming for 10% growth this quarter.”<br> “We need to become more customer-centric.”</p> </blockquote> <p>The issue isn’t that these goals are bad. It’s that they’re abstract. They give the appearance of direction without providing any real traction. Teams nod along. Work begins. But underneath, there’s a quiet misalignment because what we’re actually aiming for isn’t all that clear.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ecommerce-problems-are-decision-problems/Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ecommerce-problems-are-decision-problems/<p>eCommerce is often talked about like a machine.<br> Optimise the inputs, track the outputs, and the system will improve. But in reality, it’s much messier than that.</p> <p>eCommerce is a living system shaped by algorithms, suppliers, customer behaviour, pricing decisions, people, and process. Everything affects everything else. And often, the signal arrives too late to make sense of the cause.</p> <p>When problems show up — a dip in conversion, a margin squeeze, sluggish growth — the instinct is usually tactical.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-simple-sql-query/Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-simple-sql-query/<p>A saying often attributed to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates">Socrates</a> goes: <strong>&ldquo;All I know is that I know nothing.&rdquo;</strong></p> <p>In product work, we often operate in a fog of partial understanding: where the real risk isn&rsquo;t what we clearly don&rsquo;t know, but what we think we&rsquo;ve already figured out.</p> <p>I learnt this the hard way once during a database migration. Everything looked fine in testing: small user base, a quick update to user groups, no red flags. The script ran fast, the logic seemed sound, and everyone was juggling competing deadlines. So the migration was waved through. No alarms.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/slack/Fri, 01 Aug 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/slack/<p>A car workshop running at 110% capacity can&rsquo;t take on an urgent repair. There&rsquo;s no room for surprises.</p> <p>The best ones run at 70–80%. That bit of space lets them say yes to a loyal customer who needs help. They can take a last‑minute job or fix an unexpected issue without derailing everything else.</p> <p>It&rsquo;s the same in a doctor&rsquo;s practice. Pack every appointment back‑to‑back and the smallest delay throws the whole day off. A little slack keeps things running smoothly.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-little-light/Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-little-light/<p>At the end of last year, I started writing down some ideas that had been circling in my head for a while: about how we work, how products take shape, and what makes teams effective in complex environments.</p> <p>These weren&rsquo;t new thoughts. Just patterns I kept seeing. Meetings that dragged on without tangible results or alignment. Product teams stretched too thin. Conversations that missed the point. I kept coming back to the same questions:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/swimming-in-the-cold-ocean-that-is-the-north-sea/Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/swimming-in-the-cold-ocean-that-is-the-north-sea/<p>It was a hot day in North Berwick. The kind where your skin warms instantly, and the sea looks almost inviting — until you remember it&rsquo;s the North Sea.</p> <p>I&rsquo;d stood there many times before. Legs in. That&rsquo;s where I usually stopped. The water never welcomes you in. It tests you first.</p> <p>But this time I thought — <em>how hard could it be?</em><br> Sure, it would be uncomfortable. But surely not unbearable. My body would adjust. It always does.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/base-level-of-fitness/Sat, 12 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/base-level-of-fitness/<p><em>TLDR: Nine months ago I started cycling regularly. It became a habit — and gave me a base level of fitness that makes it easier to try new things, feel good, and just keep moving.</em></p> <p>Nine months ago, I wasn&rsquo;t thinking much about fitness. I wasn&rsquo;t recording workouts or tracking progress. I just happened to get access to bike storage near my home, and a colleague gave me his old bike.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/dealing-with-complexity/Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/dealing-with-complexity/<p><em>TLDR: Complexity isn&rsquo;t the problem (until it is)</em></p> <p>The thing that most often makes me, or the teams I work with, stuck isn&rsquo;t fear, laziness, or lack of motivation: it&rsquo;s complexity. It shows up early, making it hard to get started. Or halfway through, where it slowly grinds steady progress to a halt. Rarely does it stop us at the finish line. By then, we&rsquo;ve usually powered through — by hook or by crook — or walked away entirely.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/forced-maturation-tech-workplaces/Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/forced-maturation-tech-workplaces/<p>I&rsquo;ve been thinking about workplace culture and what running a business should look like in 2025. The stories I hear from friends, the tone of LinkedIn posts, even the conversations I have with other business owners — something fundamental has shifted in how we think about work.</p> <h2 id="the-vc-fuelled-workplace-revolution">The VC-Fuelled Workplace Revolution</h2> <p>If you worked at a hot tech startup between 2010 and 2022, you probably remember the perks. Free lunch, massage therapists, yoga classes, flexible everything. Remote work wasn&rsquo;t just accepted — it was celebrated as progressive. The implicit deal was: we&rsquo;ll treat you amazingly well, and in return, you&rsquo;ll pour your creativity into making something that delights users. Profit? That was tomorrow&rsquo;s problem.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ambidextrous-organisations/Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ambidextrous-organisations/<p>I first heard about the concept in an <a href="https://www.kassenzone.de/bike-components-communities-als-branding-hebel-mit-ceo-dominic-land/">episode of <em>Kassenzone</em>, a German eCommerce podcast, about Bike Components</a> — an online cycle parts shop.</p> <p>In 2022/23, Managing Director of <a href="https://www.bike-components.de">Bike Components</a>, Dominic Land, introduced the concept of an <em>ambidextrous organisation</em> at the company. The term stuck with me because it perfectly captures something I&rsquo;d observed in every company I&rsquo;d worked with, but never had a name for.</p> <h2 id="what-is-an-ambidextrous-organisation">What is an ambidextrous organisation?</h2> <p>The concept of organisational ambidexterity was first introduced by researchers Robert Duncan in 1976 and later developed by <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6584">Michael Tushman</a> and <a href="https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/charles-oreilly">Charles O&rsquo;Reilly</a>. Just like a person who can use both hands equally well, an ambidextrous organisation can effectively manage two seemingly contradictory activities at the same time.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/future-islands/Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/future-islands/<p>I don&rsquo;t exactly remember where I discovered Future Islands, but <em>Tin Man</em> was the first track that introduced me to them. Since then, they&rsquo;ve become my favourite band and I&rsquo;m hoping to see them live one day.</p> <p>They&rsquo;ve been called a &ldquo;synth-pop&rdquo; band but the sheer breadth of their sound, Sam Herring&rsquo;s vocal range and his energy on stage puts them in a whole different league.</p> <p>So here&rsquo;s my selection of their Top 10 songs. Entirely subjective but nevertheless a tough choice because they have so many great tracks!</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-hummus-recipe/Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/a-hummus-recipe/<p>Hummus, a divine dip for palates of all shapes and sizes. A website wouldn’t be complete without a hummus recipe. Here’s my take, inspired by Turkish and Cypriot hummus traditions.</p> <p>Of course, there are millions of hummus recipes across the Levant and every family claim theirs is the best (it probably is). This one is my favourite.</p> <h2 id="ingredients">Ingredients:</h2> <ul> <li>200g dried chickpeas (or 480g cooked/canned, but I always prefer dry chickpeas)</li> <li>120g tahini</li> <li>60ml (4 tbsp) lemon juice</li> <li>60ml (4 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil (the good stuff)</li> <li>no garlic, but if you’re really keen 1 or 2 cloves</li> <li>salt to taste, or 1 tsp (5g)</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional, if you like it)</li> <li>60-90ml cold water (to achieve desired consistency)</li> </ul> <h2 id="for-serving--garnish">For serving / garnish:</h2> <ul> <li>Extra olive oil</li> <li>Pul biber / aleppo pepper</li> <li>Flat leaf parsley</li> <li>Black olives</li> </ul> <h2 id="method">Method:</h2> <ol> <li>If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight then cook until very tender. Scoop off foam during cooking</li> <li>Take the skin off the majority of chickpeas (until you’re getting tired of it)</li> <li>Blend chickpeas violently (it’s all good fun)</li> <li>Add tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt (and cumin)</li> <li>Add cold water gradually until you achieve desired smoothness</li> <li>Blend until very smooth (Cypriots typically make their hummus very smooth)</li> </ol> <p>Cypriot hummus tends to be creamier and slightly higher in tahini than other versions, with a very smooth texture. Taste, and taste again, until you’re satisfied with your product.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/principles/Tue, 27 May 2025 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/principles/<p>Far over fast</p> <p>Simple over complex</p> <p>Quality over quantity</p> <p>Substance over style</p> <p>Reliable over novel</p> <p>Durability over disposability</p> <p>Repairable over proprietary</p> <p>Enough over more</p> <p>Less, but better</p> <p>Restraint over excess</p> <p>Local over global</p> <p>Craft over mass production</p> <p>Versatility over specialisation</p> <p>Self-sufficiency over convenience</p> <p>Connection over connectivity</p> <p>Community over isolation</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/product-led-growth/Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/product-led-growth/<p><em>TLDR; Product-led growth thrives when teams understand both user needs and business metrics, using MVPs not just to ship features, but to learn and validate strategic decisions.</em></p> <p>Product-led growth isn&rsquo;t just another business strategy — it&rsquo;s about making your product so effective at solving customer problems that it naturally becomes your primary engine for growth. But achieving this requires a thoughtful approach to how we build and iterate our products.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/vatgeek-is-live/Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/blog/vatgeek-is-live/<p><em>TLDR: <a href="https://www.vatgeek.com">VATGeek</a> is now live. I made a VAT calculator that doesn&rsquo;t suck. All keyboard-focused and with shareable URLs.</em></p> <p>I made a new VAT calculator tool called <a href="https://www.vatgeek.com" title="A better VAT Calculator Tool">VATGeek</a>. Not because the world desperately needed another one, but because I got tired of fighting with the existing ones. You know the type — covered in ads, clunky interfaces, and more clicking required than a 90s point-and-click adventure game.</p> <p>Every time I needed to calculate VAT, I&rsquo;d end up on one of those sites. They did the job, sort of, but left me feeling like I&rsquo;d just wrestled with a spreadsheet in a pop-up ad factory. And sharing calculations? Unless you enjoy taking screenshots and playing &ldquo;spot the number&rdquo; in your email threads, good luck with that.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-layer-lasagna/Sun, 06 Oct 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-layer-lasagna/<p>I keep forgetting how I like my lasagna layered best. So here&rsquo;s my personal preference, written down as a reminder to myself and for your enjoyment:</p> <ol> <li>Thin(-ish) layer of meat sauce</li> <li>Lasagna sheets</li> <li>Meat sauce</li> <li>Béchamel sauce</li> <li>Lasagna sheets</li> <li>Meat sauce</li> <li>Béchamel sauce</li> <li>Lasagna sheets</li> <li>Meat sauce</li> <li>Béchamel sauce</li> <li>Lasagna sheets</li> <li>Béchamel sauce</li> <li>Mozzarella (grated, torn, or sliced)</li> </ol> <p>And here&rsquo;s a visual representation of how I prefer to layer my lasagna, including checkboxes to tick them off when done:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/not-precious-about-code/Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/not-precious-about-code/<p>I used to be precious about my code ever since I learnt programming. Every line was carefully crafted, every function meticulously designed. But over time, I&rsquo;ve changed my approach. Being overly attached to code isn&rsquo;t practical in the long run.</p> <p>These days, I prioritise getting things done. If my code works, it&rsquo;s ready to go. Is it perfect? Probably not. Does it solve the problem? Absolutely. Can I refactor it later? For sure. I&rsquo;ve learnt to focus on functionality over perfection. In the real world, working code is more valuable than theoretically perfect code, or no code at all.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/nappylist-is-live/Tue, 24 Sep 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/nappylist-is-live/<p><em>TLDR: <a href="https://www.nappylist.com">Nappylist</a> is now live and will one day hopefully be the premier resource for all nappy related questions</em></p> <p>As a parent, you quickly discover the critical importance of choosing the right nappy for your baby. It&rsquo;s not just about convenience; it&rsquo;s about your child&rsquo;s comfort, your peace of mind, and your family&rsquo;s quality of life.</p> <p>The perfect nappy is like a silent guardian: it fits well, doesn&rsquo;t leak, and keeps your little one dry and comfortable. It sounds simple, but finding that ideal match can be a journey of trial and error. Why? Because the right nappy is crucial for:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/my-favourite-goulash-recipe/Sun, 15 Sep 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/my-favourite-goulash-recipe/<p>Finally, goulash season is upon us. As the weather turns cooler, there&rsquo;s nothing quite like a hearty, warming plate of goulash with pasta and apple sauce. A family favourite is Tim Mälzer&rsquo;s take on a classic goulash. It really is an autumn and winter staple for us. Rich, flavourful, and perfect for feeding a crowd. You could freeze the goulash for the week ahead, but we usually have no leftovers!</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/anti-cyclical-business-strategies/Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/anti-cyclical-business-strategies/<p>In the ever-churning world of business, I&rsquo;ve often found myself pondering the road less travelled. It&rsquo;s not about being a contrarian for the sake of it, but rather about questioning the herd mentality that seems to dominate so much of our industry. This got me thinking about anti-cyclical business strategies — approaches that go against the prevailing economic or market trends.</p> <h2 id="the-contrarians-dilemma">The Contrarian&rsquo;s Dilemma</h2> <p>Let&rsquo;s face it: following the crowd is comfortable. It&rsquo;s what business schools often teach, what others might expect from you, and what can help you sleep at night. But comfort isn&rsquo;t always the path to growth or innovation.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/productivity-tools/Wed, 21 Aug 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/productivity-tools/<p>Having a solid productivity setup is essential. Over the years, I’ve experimented with various tools, strategies, and methodologies to keep my life somewhat organised. Or at least give me the illusion of having everything under control.</p> <p>What I’ve found most effective is a tailored approach that uses different tools for different contexts. This way, context switching becomes smoother, and I can stay focused on the task at hand, regardless of which funny hat I’m wearing at the moment.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ultra-processed-foods-people/Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/ultra-processed-foods-people/<p>Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured products that undergo multiple stages of processing, containing numerous added ingredients like preservatives, sweeteners, and artificial flavours, intended to enhance flavour, texture, or shelf life.</p> <p>I first saw <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOTBreQaIk">Chris van Tulleken&rsquo;s talk on ultra-processed foods on Youtube</a>, then read his book, <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5903/9781529160222">Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?</a>.</p> <p>Nutritionally, ultra-processed products are usually inferior to minimally procesessed foods. They use ingredients that are made palatable, rather than inherentially edible. Fit for human consumption - thanks to our pals in the lab. Yummy! Aroma, taste and textures are engineered. Not natural, but <em>naturally derived</em>. They trick your body into wanting more than it needs, and in result you overeat and have a higher risk of suffering from obesity.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/quiet-moments/Tue, 02 Jul 2024 13:37:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/quiet-moments/<p>Up before rush hour.</p> <p>Waiting to cross the street.</p> <p>At the traffic lights.</p> <p>The music stops playing.</p> <p>Buffering.</p> <p>More buffering.</p> <p>Flight mode.</p> <p>Enjoying the moment just after you finished a piece of work.</p> <p>Sitting on a bench in the park.</p> <p>Warm rays of sunshine in spring.</p> <p>A book.</p> <p>A cup of coffee.</p> <p>Two milk, no sugar.</p> <p>Dipping your head under water.</p> <p>Sirens disappearing in the distance.</p> <p>Before the next ones are on their way.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/stones-and-water-2024/Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/stones-and-water-2024/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_6baa268ef697b78a.webp 360w, /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_d6c4a654f0ba4683.webp 720w, /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_f4b83e66c392967.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_bb0bd52db8b611a7.jpg 360w, /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_42f313ac6cf2708b.jpg 720w, /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_9f53a8ad699295e9.jpg 1440w, /photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/stones-and-water-2024/smooth-stones-choppy-waves_hu_42f313ac6cf2708b.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="A close-up of smooth stones on a rusty metal grid with a beach and choppy ocean waves in the background."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Smooth stones on a rusty metal grid with a beach and choppy ocean waves in the background.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-11-366/Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-11-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366_hu_19987857a143e85f.webp 360w, /photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366_hu_1b53314b0f9049e1.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366_hu_98409fba9d63d69e.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366_hu_be64965a580fea1c.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-11-366/2024-11-366_hu_be64965a580fea1c.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Bright pink bougainvillea flowers with sun peeking through the petals against a blue sky background."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Bright pink bougainvillea flowers with sun peeking through the petals against a blue sky background.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-10-366/Wed, 10 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-10-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366_hu_74224e969bd11b85.webp 360w, /photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366_hu_627611c1302b48ce.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366_hu_2be8c39252deb798.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366_hu_a6b047ad95e13f4e.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-10-366/2024-10-366_hu_a6b047ad95e13f4e.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Blue sky with cumulus clouds and sunlight peeking from behind, with some treetops visible at the bottom."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Blue sky with cumulus clouds and sunlight peeking from behind, with some treetops visible at the bottom.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/leaving-one-shoe-untied/Wed, 10 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/leaving-one-shoe-untied/<p>I admit that leaving one shoe untied isn’t a pretty idea. It’s annoying, uncomfortable and outright capital D-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s (replace hyphens with clap emoji to use this as a LinkedIn post…ffs LinkedIn).</p> <p>However, I do enjoy leaving one shoe untied. Preferably on rainy days when you can drag your laces through mud and filthy puddles.</p> <p>Let them absorb the streets you wander.</p> <hr> <p>For some this looks careless. Am I being a bad role model? What roles do we want to embody anyway? And, honestly, is it socially acceptable to embody more than one role? I digress.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-09-366/Tue, 09 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-09-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366_hu_525c5999e6c13d94.webp 360w, /photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366_hu_500c9243fc87101d.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366_hu_9396280e79345bf0.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366_hu_5ce1db12b2fbe0e9.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-09-366/2024-09-366_hu_5ce1db12b2fbe0e9.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Close-up of the front corner of a red vintage vehicle showing a headlight, a turn signal, and part of a bumper against a gravel background. The vehicle is weathered and its paint is cracked."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Close-up of the front corner of a red vintage vehicle showing a headlight, a turn signal, and part of a bumper against a gravel background. The vehicle is weathered and its paint is cracked.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-08-366/Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-08-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366_hu_4d183f5afc0d5798.webp 360w, /photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366_hu_d9cbf20fba796179.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366_hu_6a03e94e81dc69ef.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366_hu_a9757268d22dba89.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-08-366/2024-08-366_hu_a9757268d22dba89.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="A close-up of an orange fruit hanging from its branch, surrounded by green leaves, with more oranges and foliage blurred in the background."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>A close-up of an orange fruit hanging from its branch, surrounded by green leaves, with more oranges and foliage blurred in the background.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-07-366/Sun, 07 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-07-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366_hu_61589a35d02a0ea4.webp 360w, /photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366_hu_b88a3b0838305c3b.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366_hu_f8393bca1a9f0d4.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366_hu_ea2b3eb54d73ae8.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-07-366/2024-07-366_hu_ea2b3eb54d73ae8.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="A highly photogenic cauliflower with green leaves."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>A highly photogenic cauliflower with green leaves.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-06-366/Sat, 06 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-06-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366_hu_68ecf9e563bdb57.webp 360w, /photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366_hu_d7c5b7784b888a0a.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366_hu_20a3718d792400d3.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366_hu_a46367907c5f8e71.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-06-366/2024-06-366_hu_a46367907c5f8e71.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Close-up of a textured rock surface with varying shades of gray and brown."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Close-up of a textured rock surface with varying shades of gray and brown.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-05-366/Fri, 05 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-05-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366_hu_301ab969c365051c.webp 360w, /photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366_hu_12276e6f157f4b27.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366_hu_88cc6cac0f08e636.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366_hu_3e1c60adf9fcd788.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-05-366/2024-05-366_hu_3e1c60adf9fcd788.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Close-up of a vintage rotary dial telephone with the message &amp;quot;SPEECH ON THIS TELEPHONE IS NOT SECRET&amp;quot; displayed in the centre."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Close-up of a vintage rotary dial telephone with the message &quot;SPEECH ON THIS TELEPHONE IS NOT SECRET&quot; displayed in the centre.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-04-366/Thu, 04 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-04-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366_hu_149afad6dc025e28.webp 360w, /photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366_hu_332049807f645316.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366_hu_14f348c251ed8fe6.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366_hu_47da3318cb2c8ba9.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-04-366/2024-04-366_hu_47da3318cb2c8ba9.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="An old, weathered window frame with peeling paint on a textured wall, looking into a dark interior."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>An old, weathered window frame with peeling paint on a textured wall, looking into a dark interior. In short, a mysterious black hole.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-03-366/Wed, 03 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-03-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366_hu_14ea2d8fecc17c8f.webp 360w, /photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366_hu_bf8371163b1d92d9.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366_hu_a63f97de7c8e3fa0.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366_hu_72036d8ec61729ec.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366.jpg 767w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-03-366/2024-03-366_hu_72036d8ec61729ec.jpg" width="720" height="961" alt="Sunrise with vibrant orange and yellow clouds over a silhouette of a city skyline."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Sunrise with vibrant orange and yellow clouds over a silhouette of a city skyline.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-02-366/Tue, 02 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-02-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366_hu_c4207787150ffb1b.webp 360w, /photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366_hu_eda407f9f90fb399.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366_hu_261825316de5fa2a.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366_hu_79e587aed5868486.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-02-366/2024-02-366_hu_79e587aed5868486.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Shadow of a tiny person on a swing cast on a white wall."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Shadow of a tiny person on a swing cast on a white wall.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-01-366/Mon, 01 Jan 2024 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-01-366/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366_hu_7467b9be69a4d3d4.webp 360w, /photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366_hu_8c8d24bbdfbe86a1.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366_hu_cb0c6746cd985b68.jpg 360w, /photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366_hu_b3b1dffcdcc1c17.jpg 720w, /photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366.jpg 768w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/2024-01-366/2024-01-366_hu_b3b1dffcdcc1c17.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Skewers of meat cooking on an outdoor charcoal grill."/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Skewers of meat cooking on an outdoor charcoal grill.</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/untitled-document-june-2023/Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/untitled-document-june-2023/<p>Seek distractions. Say it and believe it: “The more I play the better.”</p> <p>Choose cooperation and collaboration over competition and monetisation. Build a team outside work. Be an essential part of a community, not of a company.</p> <p>Feed your curiosity, then someone else’s. And encourage them to do the same.</p> <p>Share knowledge. Give freely. Don’t expect anything in return. Let a new skill become your party trick. Teach someone that new skill and let it become their party trick.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/Mon, 08 Nov 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/<p>South Queensferry was quiet, almost tranquil. The main road that cuts through Queensferry lacked its usual busyness. Closed due to roadworks. No traffic, no cars, no crowds. Occassionally, a train rumbled slowly over the rail bridge. Vibes: very much off season.</p> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_a8d4b6c2936910f1.webp 360w, /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_7ee72a634d881d69.webp 720w, /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_d8deefb1dfb9591d.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_743b970093083b4a.jpg 360w, /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_ecb2416a96288df.jpg 720w, /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_92fb68aa04b0963e.jpg 1440w, /photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/south-queensferry-november-2021/forth-bridge-south-queensferry_hu_ecb2416a96288df.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Forth Rail Bridge in South Queensferry"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Forth Bridge in South Queensferry, just outside Edinburgh, on a typically grey Scottish day 🌧</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/cyprus-august-2021/Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/cyprus-august-2021/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_2845a9c034910f20.webp 360w, /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_c38e06e88606b53a.webp 720w, /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_69c3f115852caf08.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_5a4ce65ca85fd6cf.jpg 360w, /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_4b0bc7bc36d86b31.jpg 720w, /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_5295858ebaf75f92.jpg 1440w, /photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives.jpg 3024w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/cyprus-august-2021/fresh-green-olives_hu_4b0bc7bc36d86b31.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Fresh green olives just after picking"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Olive season 🫒</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/Fri, 11 Jun 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/<p>A quick day trip to North Berwick. Checked out <a href="https://www.driftalong.co.uk">Drift</a> for a coffee, some ice cream and coastal views as far as screen-tortured eyes can see. 👀</p> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_faefa3319206b07.webp 360w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_78c9f0933d0d1a2a.webp 720w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_8534e59e141f89c0.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_a0809bfa01a0ffc7.jpg 360w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_84e4f851b4ecd9a8.jpg 720w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_9e7504c826381f8c.jpg 1440w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay_hu_84e4f851b4ecd9a8.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Canty Bay, North Berwick"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Canty Bay 🏖</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_b3b2f151155129a8.webp 360w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_874ddf42f42131ae.webp 720w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_5355894988f56aec.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_2384d559656cefd.jpg 360w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_f83a227b16118887.jpg 720w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_6137d656bdbe7c7e.jpg 1440w, /photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/north-berwick-june-2021/north-berwick-canty-bay-tantallon-castle-football-pitch_hu_f83a227b16118887.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Canty Bay, North Berwick - Football pitch and Tantallon Castle"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Would love to play some footy there ⚽️</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/Mon, 31 May 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_4eb58da701c2e8.webp 360w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_e55433ebce6d23f9.webp 720w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_f14904c723646cbf.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_9a768525545e8ca9.jpg 360w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_e964f1d261519509.jpg 720w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_849d745854d76583.jpg 1440w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-river-tay-banks_hu_e964f1d261519509.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="River Tay at Dunkeld"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>We probably picked the best day for a walk along the banks of the river Tay in Dunkeld.</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_9cce8f8c663b51ee.webp 360w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_2533e75d3348d1f3.webp 720w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_cab201944db8dd1d.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_8c6f8dd4c77eb195.jpg 360w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_4cd8b0893518d448.jpg 720w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_778a1c5ad306b117.jpg 1440w, /photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park.jpg 3024w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/dunkeld-may-2021/dunkeld-forest-park_hu_4cd8b0893518d448.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Trees = immediate calm"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Trees = immediate calm</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/Sun, 30 May 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_9f981b80d8e6ab36.webp 360w, /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_17f6926fb747bf58.webp 720w, /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_193959aa566d72c4.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_23ab0be4cdbc1013.jpg 360w, /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_c0b2fa4d213fb57.jpg 720w, /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_9bdb721ce0de6802.jpg 1440w, /photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/newhaven-harbour-may-2021/newhaven-harbour-lighthouse-haar_hu_c0b2fa4d213fb57.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Newhaven harbour and lighthouse with sea fog (haar)"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Newhaven Harbour Lighthouse. The coast line was covered in thick haar (sea fog). 😶‍🌫️</p> </figcaption> </figure>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/Fri, 26 Feb 2021 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_2ce9c08e6e72bb12.webp 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_371ea591ac7475df.webp 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_1f46ed3511e885b.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_8c8383e1bd4c6a03.jpg 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_dfc8f146700cbc92.jpg 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_883584c5a39c64f2.jpg 1440w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-seaview_hu_dfc8f146700cbc92.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Portobello Beach"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Calm sea</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_cb6986ccf16d1c3d.webp 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_4fe6e9ff9b2e5b65.webp 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_ae99240cec499033.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_b74d306353ce962.jpg 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_150ad12663a56746.jpg 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_699ccd2cee5b7102.jpg 1440w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand.jpg 3024w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-sand_hu_150ad12663a56746.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Portobello Beach - Show and paw prints"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Shoe and paw prints in the sand - a clear sign you&rsquo;re in Portobello</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_9943887f8fbb005e.webp 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_d2258571f897321f.webp 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_bf1b10bcfc05ec21.webp 1440w' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_cc329a913d92d43c.jpg 360w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_b3d02b26bcf17226.jpg 720w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_f1c6fee157dfb08d.jpg 1440w, /photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers.jpg 4032w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/portobello-february-2021/portobello-brave-swimmers_hu_b3d02b26bcf17226.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Brave swimmers at Portobello Beach"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>You gotta be brave to take a dip in late Feb 🥶</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/Thu, 25 Oct 2018 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei_hu_f73da588fea47f49.webp 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei_hu_c74f24a7cda365f7.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei_hu_fbd83e1eb4bd229c.jpg 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei_hu_709f3e055e6c8267.jpg 720w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei.jpg 1280w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-via-de-musei_hu_709f3e055e6c8267.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Via de Musei, Bologna"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Via de Musei</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display_hu_49ce040286f41789.webp 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display_hu_226996c79f917eb4.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display_hu_d14444fe1389eab0.jpg 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display_hu_5957dbedd653cb3c.jpg 720w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display.jpg 1280w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-tortelloni-display_hu_5957dbedd653cb3c.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Tortelloni on display in a pasta shop"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>We watched how tortelloni were made and tried to learn the technique. It&rsquo;s a long way to perfection.</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca_hu_e3b17884ba1d1b92.webp 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca_hu_caf1f0c8018d39a0.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca_hu_488540461e18484c.jpg 360w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca_hu_b846a26e7655a97c.jpg 720w, /photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca.jpg 960w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/bologna-october-2018/bologna-sanctuary-of-the-madonna-di-san-luca_hu_b846a26e7655a97c.jpg" width="720" height="960" alt="Architectural detail at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, at the top of the Portico di San Luca walk.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/pessimism/Tue, 04 Sep 2018 12:32:04 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/pessimism/<p>Everybody knows Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” That simple sentence could be the condensed Pessimist Manifesto. Bad luck by default. I can identify with it. I’m from Germany, so I’m naturally pessimistic.</p> <p>Right now I’m thinking, will I ever finish this post? Will it be any good? Probably not. But, like by some miracle, I keep hammering away on my thought-ridden keyboard. Is there a tiny bit of optimism left in me? And if, what’s hidden in its pockets?</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/lanyard-people/Thu, 30 Aug 2018 12:30:53 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/lanyard-people/<p>Every morning on my walk to work, I see the same people. One group particularly stands out: well-groomed young professionals with those ubiquitous lanyards.</p> <p>A lanyard typically consists of a flexible fabric strap, lovingly decorated by an ornate logo print and a key ring or snap hook, which holds an ID badge or keycard. Men hang it casually out one of their front pockets. Women usually carry it around their necks, for lack of front pockets in contemporary British women’s office wear.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast/Wed, 29 Aug 2018 12:29:37 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-start-a-podcast/<p>You love listening to podcasts. They make your morning commute tolerable and your walk back home an absolute delight. Now you want to have your own show and blast your wisdom into the podcastosphere.</p> <p>When I caught the podcasting fever, I started my own podcast called <a href="https://www.deepfried.marketing">Deep Fried Marketing</a> with my humble friend and co-host, <a href="https://www.nickblackbourn.com">Nick Blackbourn</a>. After one episode back in 2016 - not much happened. Until we realised: “This can’t be it. We enjoy debate and conversation and want to help fellow marketers uncover the nooks and crannies of online marketing.”</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/being-human/Thu, 09 Aug 2018 12:28:37 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/being-human/<p>Sometimes I’m productive, sometimes I’m lazy.</p> <p>Sometimes I’m full-on, sometimes I’m idle.</p> <p>Sometimes I’m happy, sometimes I’m not.</p> <p>Sometimes I get it all done, sometimes I don’t.</p> <p>Sometimes I’m efficient, sometimes I’m not.</p> <p>Sometimes I need a friend, sometimes I want to be alone.</p> <p>Sometimes I’m responsible, sometimes a mess.</p> <p>Sometimes I follow instructions, sometimes I don’t.</p> <p>Sometimes I’m practical, sometimes I’m a dreamer.</p> <p>Sometimes I need a good book, sometimes I listen to music for hours or binge TV.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/facts-v-gut-or-marketer-v-client/Thu, 19 Jul 2018 12:27:20 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/facts-v-gut-or-marketer-v-client/<p>Marketing folks often complain that despite providing solid sets of data, some of their clients still decide to go with their gut feeling. Marketers are quick to blame the client, because they toiled days and hours until they’ve finally come up with some meaningful insight.</p> <p>They call their client “straight-up ignorant.” They want to throw them over the castle walls, pull up the draw-bridge and curse every single one of their known relatives until the client vanishes in the Eurasian tundra.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/rome-january-2018/Fri, 26 Jan 2018 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/rome-january-2018/<p>Rome is one of my favourite cities. Before Istanbul and Lisbon, and - of course - after Edinburgh. Maybe I like Rome because Edinburgh is built on seven hills as well. Thinking of it, I also really like Athens - another city built on seven hills. Clearly, a pattern is emerging here! 🧐</p> <p>We were lucky we picked a quiet weekend at the end of January for our visit and even had great weather. Wine, pizzas and gelato outside galore.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/slow-growth/Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:26:15 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/slow-growth/<p>I like slow growth. I would always choose the long-term vision over short-term success.</p> <p>Slow growth is organic and sustainable. It’s neither pessimistic nor optimistic.</p> <p>There’s nothing bad about growing slowly. It even makes your business more predictable.</p> <p>Humans need at least 18 years to grow to full maturity — in many cases it takes even longer…</p> <p>Slow growth gives you the opportunity to steadily improve your product and relationship to your customers. Every day, you work to make more profit and increase your cashflow. Bit by bit.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/quit-if-you-do-social-media-like-everyone-else/Wed, 19 Oct 2016 12:25:02 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/quit-if-you-do-social-media-like-everyone-else/<p>What a radical headline for someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time on Facebook.</p> <p>Every now and then, I scroll through my Facebook timeline. And it’s tough to find <a href="https://seths.blog/2007/01/how_to_be_remar/">something truly remarkable</a>. I’m not talking about my friend feeds. I love breakfast musli pictures!</p> <p>This is about random collections of hashtags on stock photos.</p> <p>About purposeless, gibbering “brands” that try to frame themselves as purpose-led organisations.</p> <p>About brands that abuse social media to pretend they care about customer service. (<em>”Hey, please DM your order number so I can look into this.”</em>)</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-distractions/Thu, 29 Sep 2016 12:23:49 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-distractions/<p>This Modern Age, i.e. modern life, is challenging. We are hardly hunters and gatherers anymore. They call us clickers and scrollers. After reading many many self-help books and consuming copious amounts of countless lifehack blogs, I’d like to present you some ultimate fool-proof advice on <strong>how to deal with distractions and boost your productivity</strong>:</p> <ul> <li>Meet friends</li> <li>Turn off your computer (alternatively: all electronic devices)</li> <li>Switch off your phone</li> <li>Close Facebook, Twitter (or any other <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/smartphone-addiction-is-part-of-the-design-a-1104237.html" title="Smartphone addiction via nickblackbourn.com">slot machine</a> of your choice)</li> <li>Delete all apps you open frequently for no effing reason</li> <li>Close your email app</li> <li>Monotask</li> <li>Buy a dumb phone</li> <li>Read a book</li> <li>Take a walk</li> <li>Sabotage your WiFi at home and wait three weeks for a BT technician</li> <li>Have sex</li> <li>Help a friend (see above)</li> <li>Get rid of a friend (see above)</li> <li>Watch the grass grow</li> <li>Get stuff done</li> <li>Lose your wallet</li> <li>Read a map</li> <li>Get a pet</li> <li>Have a nap</li> <li>Find a new hobby</li> <li>Burn your todo lists</li> <li>Quit your job</li> <li>Fire your boss</li> <li>Move into the woods</li> <li>Become a ninja and be the distraction</li> </ul> <p>That’s all I can say. To be continued.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/designing-words/Wed, 31 Aug 2016 12:22:39 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/designing-words/<p>I just came across this really interesting article, <a href="https://medium.com/@jsaito/how-to-design-words-63d6965051e9">“How to Design Words”</a> by <a href="https://medium.com/@jsaito">John Saito</a>, on Medium. John mostly writes for apps and websites. In his article, he gives great examples of effective copy in different user scenarios (system notifications, web copy etc).</p> <p>While I was first dazzled that a writer openly admits that he <em>hates reading</em>, I felt quite relieved when he explains that he actually <em>hates boring, wordy texts</em>. And, apparently, his apathy for unnecessary information actually helped him become a better user interface writer:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/your-greed-for-personal-information-stops-you-from-being-successful/Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/your-greed-for-personal-information-stops-you-from-being-successful/<p>We want to know as much as possible about our customers; those who pay for our bread and butter.</p> <p>So let’s face it: we are all greedy, especially for data. It’s so damn easy to collect personal information, and many people hand it out readily, here and there!</p> <p>But ever so often, “greed stops us from achieving true greatness”. This true for your online shop too.</p> <p>To solve your customer’s problem, i.e. fulfil the order, all you need is this:</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/four-ways-to-tackle-mental-barriers/Wed, 03 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/four-ways-to-tackle-mental-barriers/<p>In business and in life, we sometimes get stuck because we run into barriers. Maybe your company’s growth fell flat no matter how hard you tried.</p> <p>Maybe you had a particularly difficult client or customer who was just in for a fight and not really interested in a resolution.</p> <p>Or, you just can’t get your head around a problem that seemed so simple and obvious in the first place, yet you can’t find a solution that works for you.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/blog/unusual-places-for-a-business-meeting/Thu, 28 Jul 2016 12:00:00 +0100https://jangobrecht.com/blog/unusual-places-for-a-business-meeting/<p>I went to so many meetings in boring office environments. Capitalist cathedrals made of beige oak veneer and dusty ficus trees that have seen better days.</p> <p><strong>How are you supposed to get creative with your client in dull places?</strong></p> <p>It’s time to shake things up.</p> <p>Here are some suggestions for cool, unusual places to hold a business meeting:</p> <h3 id="park-bench">Park bench</h3> <p>Gives you that secret agent feeling. You can also feed pigeons.</p>https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:37:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/<figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers_hu_ac88e1eb14728c28.webp 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers_hu_40e3392fe87b6290.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers_hu_c469f8c6560ad308.jpg 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers_hu_4ffa7c5a3b4e4aad.jpg 720w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers.jpg 1280w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-stacked-cargo-containers_hu_4ffa7c5a3b4e4aad.jpg" width="720" height="540" alt="Stacked cargo containers at the Port of Hamburg"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Always curious what&rsquo;s inside these perfectly stacked containers 🎁</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad_hu_23db8473e3770358.webp 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad_hu_57492f6d9b167be6.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad_hu_1f1a8e6ea2d8c562.jpg 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad_hu_7bd9af7bfc5daa17.jpg 720w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad.jpg 1280w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-koala-ad_hu_7bd9af7bfc5daa17.jpg" width="720" height="720" alt="A billboard ad for fritz-kola in Hamburg"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Koala kola koala kola koala kola 🤔</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure> <a href="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision.jpg"> <picture> <source type="image/webp" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision_hu_ccd448c69f2bd0b6.webp 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision_hu_b3ac0164baf4d9f.webp 720w, ' /> <img loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px, 100vw" srcset=' /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision_hu_1173d5ad4df9592d.jpg 360w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision_hu_980d43e18ab496a3.jpg 720w, /photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision.jpg 1280w' src="https://jangobrecht.com/photos/hamburg-april-2016/hamburg-astra-vision_hu_980d43e18ab496a3.jpg" width="720" height="720" alt="A glass of Astra beer"/> </picture></a><figcaption> <p>Astra vision ⚓️</p>https://jangobrecht.com/all-pages/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/all-pages/https://jangobrecht.com/markdown/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://jangobrecht.com/markdown/<p>A quick reference for Markdown formatting. Use the search box to find what you need.</p> <style> .md-cheatsheet { max-width: 720px; margin: 0 auto; } .md-search { width: 100%; padding: 12px 16px; font-size: 16px; border: 1px solid var(--main-greyish-color, #ddd); border-radius: 6px; background: var(--bg-color-1, #f0efe7); color: var(--main-dark-color, #191a22); margin-bottom: 24px; box-sizing: border-box; } .md-search:focus { outline: 2px solid var(--main-link-color, #3273dc); outline-offset: 2px; } .md-search::placeholder { color: var(--main-darkish-color, #888); } .md-items { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; } .md-item { border: 1px solid var(--main-greyish-color, #ddd); border-radius: 6px; padding: 16px; background: var(--bg-color-1, #f0efe7); } .md-item-header { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: baseline; margin-bottom: 12px; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 8px; } .md-item-name { font-weight: 700; font-size: 1.1em; color: var(--main-dark-color, #191a22); margin: 0; } .md-item-keywords { font-size: 0.85em; color: var(--main-darkish-color, #888); } .md-item-content { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 16px; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .md-item-content { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } } .md-syntax, .md-preview { padding: 12px; border-radius: 4px; min-height: 40px; } .md-syntax { background: #f5f5f5; font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, "SF Mono", Menlo, Consolas, monospace; font-size: 0.9em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-break: break-word; color: #191a22; } .md-preview { background: #fff; border: 1px solid #eee; } .md-preview code { background: #f0f0f0; padding: 2px 6px; border-radius: 3px; font-family: ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, "SF Mono", Menlo, Consolas, monospace; font-size: 0.9em; } .md-preview pre { background: #f5f5f5; padding: 12px; border-radius: 4px; overflow-x: auto; margin: 0; } .md-preview pre code { background: none; padding: 0; } .md-preview blockquote { border-left: 3px solid #ccc; margin: 0; padding-left: 12px; color: #555; } .md-preview table { border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; } .md-preview th, .md-preview td { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 6px 10px; text-align: left; } .md-preview th { background: #f5f5f5; } .md-preview hr { border: none; border-top: 1px solid #ccc; margin: 8px 0; } .md-preview ul, .md-preview ol { margin: 0; padding-left: 20px; } .md-preview .task-list { list-style: none; padding-left: 0; } .md-preview .task-list li { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 6px; } .md-label { display: block; font-size: 0.75em; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.5px; color: var(--main-darkish-color, #888); margin-bottom: 6px; } .md-no-results { text-align: center; padding: 40px 20px; color: var(--main-darkish-color, #888); display: none; } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { .md-search { background: #252525; border-color: #444; color: #ddd; } .md-item { background: #252525; border-color: #444; } .md-item-name { color: #eee; } .md-syntax { background: #333; color: #ddd; } .md-preview { background: #2a2a2a; border-color: #444; color: #ddd; } .md-preview code { background: #444; } .md-preview pre { background: #333; } .md-preview blockquote { border-color: #555; color: #aaa; } .md-preview th { background: #333; } .md-preview th, .md-preview td { border-color: #444; } } </style> <div class="md-cheatsheet"> <input type="search" class="md-search" id="md-search" placeholder="Search... (e.g., bold, link, code)" aria-label="Search markdown formatting" /> <div class="md-items" id="md-items"></div> <div class="md-no-results" id="md-no-results">No matching results found.</div> </div> <script> (function () { const cheatsheetData = [ { name: "Headers", keywords: ["heading", "title", "h1", "h2", "h3", "h4", "h5", "h6"], syntax: "# H1\n## H2\n### H3\n#### H4\n##### H5\n###### H6", preview: '<h1 style="margin:0;font-size:1.4em">H1</h1><h2 style="margin:0;font-size:1.2em">H2</h2><h3 style="margin:0;font-size:1.1em">H3</h3><h4 style="margin:0;font-size:1em">H4</h4>', }, { name: "Bold", keywords: ["strong", "emphasis", "thick", "heavy"], syntax: "**bold text**\n__also bold__", preview: "<strong>bold text</strong><br><strong>also bold</strong>", }, { name: "Italic", keywords: ["emphasis", "slant", "em", "oblique"], syntax: "*italic text*\n_also italic_", preview: "<em>italic text</em><br><em>also italic</em>", }, { name: "Bold and Italic", keywords: ["emphasis", "strong", "combined"], syntax: "***bold and italic***\n___also works___", preview: "<strong><em>bold and italic</em></strong><br><strong><em>also works</em></strong>", }, { name: "Strikethrough", keywords: ["delete", "cross out", "removed", "strike"], syntax: "~~strikethrough~~", preview: "<del>strikethrough</del>", }, { name: "Links", keywords: ["url", "href", "anchor", "hyperlink", "website"], syntax: '[Link text](https://example.com)\n[With title](https://example.com "Title")', preview: '<a href="#">Link text</a><br><a href="#" title="Title">With title</a>', }, { name: "Images", keywords: ["picture", "photo", "img", "graphic"], syntax: '\n', preview: '<span style="color:#888">[Image: Alt text]</span><br><span style="color:#888">[Image: Alt with title]</span>', }, { name: "Unordered List", keywords: ["bullet", "ul", "dots", "items"], syntax: "- Item 1\n- Item 2\n - Nested item\n- Item 3", preview: "<ul><li>Item 1</li><li>Item 2<ul><li>Nested item</li></ul></li><li>Item 3</li></ul>", }, { name: "Ordered List", keywords: ["numbered", "ol", "sequential", "steps"], syntax: "1. 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