The newly rich spend their money lavishing themselves and those they know with items, but also with protection. Money buys protection. From paying penalties that don’t hurt their net worth to buying favours from people in power. This goes on everywhere, just in varying degrees, private and public. I…

Recently we realised the need to protect ourselves with a surveillance camera in case of one of our Airbnb guests decides to be an idiot and doodle all over the walls, or something worse. So I did what I thought was the perfect thing to do: make one myself. It took me a couple of days to make it…

A lot of problems are bubbling as I try to find a way to make money while deriving meaning out of the job. If I saw them as separate pursuits I would well have a clearer head. In order to banish the dizzying and often headache-inducing uncertainty, I should just get a job like everyone else. That…

My 4 year old niece doesn’t even know to position her mouth above the bowl she’s eating from, and the fact that I needed to be reminded of this shows my age. I might not be 40, but at 26, the effects of ageing have become sensible and it takes a greater conscious effort to remember what it’s like to…

A scene from Parts Unknown, Scotland episode I was on the plane yesterday to Hong Kong when I watched Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Less Known documentary. Episode one covered Scotland, Glasgow mostly, where Bourdain spoke to many different kinds of Glaswegians (people of Glasgow). Anthony Bourdain I’ve…

I had just left another hardware meet up (called Hackware) and I’m emanating inspiration now, so I thought I’d write it all down while things are fresh. The theme was Single Board Computers, so everyone who spoke had to talk about them. That includes the world renown Raspberry Pi, but also other…

The main thing that occupied my mind today is the difference between hurrying and being energetic. I realised that even though I’ve been particularly motivated lately (since we got back from a month of travelling in the US), I’m probably not operating at full capacity. Deep down, I know I can…

Few things are consistent about me. I like change much more than most people are comfortable with, and I see that as a strength, not disadvantage. But one thing that happens day after day with me is thinking. I think a lot. Maybe too much - that’s why I started meditation about 2 years ago. Too much…

From Quora: Should you renovate the whole house at once or little by little? Let’s start by clarifying your situation. Do you have the option of living elsewhere during the renovation, like your parents’ home or a rented place? Your question only applies if the answer is yes. Otherwise you’ll have…

Talking to aspiring makers at a local Apprenticeship Programme It was another day with an important meeting that might help push my startup forward. At the lobby I took a deep breath and stepped into the lift. “Hey, I’m Nick…”, I said to myself in the lift as I extended my hand for a rehearsal…

Key points made: Things can go really wrong (a lot of the time) if you let passion guide you in finding a good job to do great work example: Thomas the zen monk “believing… that the key to happiness is identifying your true calling and then chasing after it with all the courage you can muster […] is…