Richard's blog

Category: observation

  • Looking Back In Time

    Looking Back In Time

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 2 minutesFor a few days now I’ve been looking through thousands of pictures to make sure that they’re synced from iCloud to the Photo app before they’re deleted. In so doing I noticed how far in front of a group I was hiking a few years ago. Instead of hiking with the group…

  • Getting Cold On A Scooter

    Getting Cold On A Scooter

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 2 minutesI don’t often spend two hours on a scooter driving from Geneva to Nyon and back, especially not when it’s about 1°c. In such conditions, I’d drive to the closest train station and be done with it. I waited until ten or eleven in the morning to drive. Any earlier and it…

  • Blobs in Geneva

    Blobs in Geneva

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    richard
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    Reading Time: < 1 minuteToday I walked around Geneva and in at least three locations I spotted these blobs guarding various places. These two are guarding the entrance to the old town. I like the contrast between the modern blobs above the gate to the old town of Geneva and the statue of Pictet De…

  • The Thirty Book Rule

    The Thirty Book Rule

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 4 minutesMarie Kondo’s rule that you should only keep thirty books, that you should only keep those that you personally want to read or enjoy is a silly rule because it encourages people to limit their scope and perspective on the world. Childhood One memory of my childhood is being surrounded by books…

  • Mouse trap videos

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 2 minutesWhen I lived by the seaside in England I was told by one of my flat mates that they had seen a rat go into my room and I don’t remember how I felt about it. Rat traps were soon placed to catch them. A few years later I saw a flat…

  • On the origins of OK

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    richard
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    Reading Time: < 1 minuteIf you’re a french speaker you will probably remember that scene from Les Visiteurs where they say “OK” over and over again. You might also remember it from films like “The Right Stuff” when they speak about things being a-ok. The history of the word dates back to the 1800s when…

  • Summer without a car has taught me to live locally

    Summer without a car has taught me to live locally

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 3 minutesThis summer I was thinking of buying a car until I found out that my contract break was for six months rather than three. As a result of this my ability to buy my own car vanished. I used the scooter, my feet and eventually the bike to travel thousands of kilometres. …

  • Glacier Exit – A short documentary showing a glacier’s retreat

    Glacier Exit – A short documentary showing a glacier’s retreat

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    richard
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    Reading Time: < 1 minuteOriginally they meant to go out to have an adventure. They interviewed an individual about how the glacier’s rate of retreat has been increasing over the years. “I used to come here with a snow plow. Now I need a lawnmower”.  Global warming is visible around the world. Rockfalls have made…

  • The Ice finally came

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 3 minutesA few days ago I went towards the lake to take pictures. The wind was strong and cold. The temperature was close to -9°c. The last time we had such cold weather the lake side became beautiful as the porcelain ice formed around boats, trees, over grass and cars. As this only…

  • A theoretical Seven Minute Workout a day

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 2 minutesSeven Minute Workout for 36 days For about six weeks I have been trying to do at least one seven-minute workout every single day. I eventually fell out of the habit for a few days because I had to fight a little virus. I’m feeling better again. Time to see if I…