CURRENT MISSION

Unfuck the world.

ABOUT ME

I'm a former neuroscientist and musician and now work for a fantastic little start-up as a designer, data-cruncher and developer. Before that, I worked with street kids in Durban, wrote a thesis on artificial computerized jazz improvisation and figured out how to change career paths about once a year. Fabulous, Harry, I love the feathers!

I often picture myself as being an old fart some day, sitting in my rocking chair under my orange tree in the garden, and telling my grand children to move their sorry butts and do something badass, because when I was their age, I (...) - well, since I began to use this thought as a heuristic for life decisions, turns out to be an excellent justification for doing the most stupid and reckless things :)

PHILOSOPHY

Somewhere between "Everything's gonna be alright" and "Work hard, play hard". I suppose that kind of reflects the places in which I have lived.

Interests

The beautiful! There's so much beautiful stuff around us! Noise, words, thoughts... pay attention!

In particular: I love to play and sing jazz, wish I could still play classical music, though. Although I left my career in science behind me, I still check up on what's happening in neuroscience and psychology, and will discuss the concept of free will with anyone brave enough.

I'm also a cooking geek, you should try my Goat Cheese Brûlée! I also make a decent vegan Chilli - with coffee, beer and chocolate. If someone could teach me how to make perfect Hummus, PLEASE do!

My father taught me the BASIC programming language when I was eleven (he was a pastor, developing church management software on the side... yup, that was still possible in the 90ies). Yup, I've been a teenage nerd. I managed to get over it, somehow, but if I see an interesting unsolved problem I turn into an immovable piece of pondering meat.

• singing
• design
• concerts
• cooking
• chocolate
• cheese
• beer
• coffee
• vegan
• gardening
• music
• classical music
• jazz
• neuroscience
• psychology
• science
• software

Music, Movies, and Books

With no particular order: Charles Mingus, Prokoffiev, Jorge Luis Borges, The Bad Plus, Harold & Maude, Sanseverino, EA Poe, Tom Waits, Rachmaninov, Heinrich Heine, Charlie Kaufman films, James Brown, Buena Vista Social Club, ...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Working with kids on the streets of Durban and the townships around has taught me a lesson or two that are not to be learned elsewhere, I guess.

Teach, Learn, Share

To share: Stories from being the only whitey in a township, stories about funny things brains to, private Jazz concerts at candlelight...
I really want to learn to play the accordion.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Mozambique, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

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