Good news! I’ve got a new part-time job, because otherwise I’ve nothing to do and get bored. I’m now working as an analyst and writer for The Next Web. My work starts at the Appetite blog of The Next Web by delivering interesting news about mobile, web and desktop applications.
Of course I will continue writing in Dutch on my own tech blog, because I’m writing there about much more then applications alone. All in all it’s nice to be recognized and I’m proud to be part of The Next Web family of analists and writers who work there.
I just published my first post over there. So go take a look and leave a comment.
Because I had a lot of website work to do in the last few weeks, I found myself working with a lot of CMS systems and testing stuff out. I was looking for a good blogging, social CMS system that I could use for a Shark Sports. After many hours of testing Typo3, Joomla, Drupal and WordPress, it’s again clear to me that WordPress is the winner.
I have now installed on my own domain jorgjansen.com WordPress MU. That’s the multi user version of wordpress. With a click on a button I can now create a new blog or update everything at once. In total I had to manage 9 wordpress blogs and I already brought this numbe back to 4 by putting a lot of them in my jorgjansen.com wordpress MU version.
At the same time I made some small changes to the directory structure of my different blogs. Instead of using folders for each different blog, I’ve now put them on subdomains (automatic with the help of wordpress, wow). I’ve even done this in a correct way by setting a 301 redirect so people who are stilll linking to the old adresses are automatically transfered to the correct address.
Here in short a small llist of the new addresses:
It’s back! Shark.nu is live and presenting our new company Shark Sports. Shark Sports specializes in sport activities and events. To bring together supply and demand from different levels.
Together with co-entrepreneur Mario Verhagen, I started this company to do something with our passion for sports and organizing. Shark.nu will become a full sports portal that will make it possible through some smart automated processes to organize sport events with a click of button.
And we start big with a freediving competition in December and a big big Zumba New Year Party in Januari. Not only that but we will start with regular lessons, courses and trainings as well. So take a look at the site and keep an eye on it! Lots of exciting stuff will happen.
This week really was over like it was only 2 days long. Really amazing. It’s a good thing that I keep a small diary where all my time is being spend on. So what was on plan last week?
Basic schedule for week 42 (October 12 - October 18)
- Rest: Workdays get up at 6am and go to bed at midnight or a maximum of 6 hours of rest.
- Running: 3 times in the morning. 3×10 minute runs with 1 minute rest in between.
- Freediving: Pool session on Thursday. Do a dry walk or static on 5 other days.
- Food: Start eating regularly 3 times a day on workdays. Not yet paleo style but no snacks after dinner! Soda light no problem.
- Mental: Read some books and start writing regularly again.
Rest did not go so well. I had a few long sleeps and a few very short ones ranging from 10 hours to only 2 hours a night. Don’t know exactly why, but it had something to do with the activity in my brain and being in a working flow. I didn’t get up at 6am even once this week. Don’t know why, but I really have to start doing it again soon, otherwise the habit will be lost and nothing better then to start the day with a run or a creative piece of writing.
Speaking about running: Did three run of 3×10 minutes this week. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I’m not using tape anymore on my feet to keep the blisters away and it felt good. The only thing left to fix is my left foot which is apparently hitting the floor with a small angle to the left. I’m going to test this with a running shop who can measure and see what is going wrong. Really need to fix this problem!
Freediving was fun. Did a dry static on Monday and went to 2:40 minutes without contractions and still having fun doing it. Nothing dry for the rest of the week. Thursday pool session was great as you can read on our sharkbait blog here.
Food is going okay but not fantastic. I eat what I want all day long in three meals, but still take some snacks in the evening. I really have to make a commitment again for this, otherwise nothing will happen.
Because of all the work, I only read 1 book this week. Really have to pick up the pace again. Writing is going great again. After a small one month dip I’m back at full force. Creativity doesn’t happen every week on Monday in the afternoon, but just when it wants to for itself. So I have to keep track with that as well.
For the following week, this is on schedule:
Basic schedule for week 43 (October 19 - October 25)
- Rest: Workdays get up at 6am and go to bed at midnight or a maximum of 6 hours of rest.
- Running: 3 times in the morning. 2×15 minute runs with 1 minute rest in between.
- Freediving: Pool session on Thursday. Do a dry walk or static on 5 other days.
- Food: Start eating regularly 3 times a day on workdays. Not yet paleo style but no snacks after dinner! Soda light no problem.
- Mental: Read some books and start writing regularly again.
One key element in my life is music. I was raised with a lot of music around me and I was fortunate enough to have parent who saw the importance of it and put me on music school when I was 6. I learned to play, at a very basic level, all kind of instruments in the first two years and started to understand how they all worked.
Around the age of 8 I started with harmonica with two other guys and we did a lot of competitions and were quite successful. More importantly it was a lot of fun. Around the age of 14 I think I started with guitar lessons and was working towards conservatory, but in the end I somehow ended up doing an ICT study. Don’t ask me why… 
While I don’t take lessons anymore, I still play a few times a week. Mostly at the times I looking for energy and creativity. Playing a few tunes on the guitar or harmonica. Or even a few small songs on the keyboard. It’s just relaxing and energizing to do.
My son got his second keyboard lesson yesterday. He’s thankfully making use of Sanne’s keyboard that Sanne borrowed to him for a few months. Now that he started getting lessons and is so enthousiastic about it, it’s time to look for one of his own. (thanks for the borrowing, Sanne!)
So now Rody has started doing something with music, I hope he sees and gets the same benefits I got from it. I see it as an important building block in his ongoing education. The same I got, and the same I want to give to my children.
Did a lot of reading today. Some motivational pieces as well. At one point I read a piece from a guy who summed up some rules he had. Rule number 1 was to never give up.
I thought a little about that and it came to mind how many are saying this. So many people believe that if they won’t quit with something that everything will turn allright.
Well, I’m here to bring the bad news: never giving up is just plain stupid and dumb! Smart people know when to quit! They quit before the energy drain is starting.
Smart people keep to their believes and core values but are very open for criticism and want to improve as much as they can. Smart people are honest and tell things like they are and tell IT when it matters, even when the message sucks.
Sometimes it’s hard to accept the truth, but if things are not going to work, they’re not going to work. Simple as that! You can’t roll with square wheels.
Know when to quit and know when to hold on! Don’t be afraid to make a mistake now and then and accept it. And if you’re the guy who never makes a mistake with this, then please tell me the secret!
Week 41 has ended and I’m pretty happy about this highly productive week. Lets see what was in the plan and what made it to the end.
Basic schedule for week 41 (October 5 - October 11)
- Rest: Workdays get up at 6am and go to bed at midnight. 6 hours of rest.
- Running: 3 times in the morning. Getting the blisters away with 4×7 minute runs with 1 minute rest in between.
- Freediving: Pool session on Wednesday. Do a dry walk or static on 5 other days.
- Food: Start eating regularly 3 times a day on workdays. Not yet paleo style but no snacks after dinner! Soda light no problem.
- Mental: Read some books and start writing regularly again.
Rest hours to a maximum of 6 is still going great. Getting out of bed at 6am not so much. Did some long working evenings, stopping at 2 or 3 am. But that’s the price you have to pay when you’re in a working flow. I think I’ll keep at it as it goes now. As long as I still make the normal office hours it’s all no problem.
Running is going better and better. Did some good runs and ended with a good 5+ kilometers on the last day and it felt great. So I’ll up it to 3×10 minutes next week.
Freediving also going great, especially now that we have a dedicated pool place to train again! I forgot the dry workouts a little bit, but started on Wednesday with a 30 second empty lung, 1:30 and 2:30 full. Did a pool workout on Thursday with some pretty relaxed and long deep dynamics in a relaxed style. On Friday I managed to do a 1:30, 2:30, 2:50 statics with no contractions. Saturday was time for dry walks and it’s clear I suck at them: 0:38, 0:41 and 0:43 seconds. Lets practice this some more!
Food is going great all day long. No snacks, no strange binge out sessions! Only last week I had 2 snack evenings I really was ‘hungry’ and ate some stuff. Don’t know why, but I did. Didn’t feel bad when I did it. It seems to me that the only thing that will make sure I loose weight is when I start with the Paleo diet, which I will start in November again.
Reading and writing is up and running again. Started with some iJorg posts and read some great books as well. So I’m pretty happy in the end. It was a good week in all. Managed to do a lot of work.
So, how does the following week look like?
Basic schedule for week 42 (October 12 - October 18)
- Rest: Workdays get up at 6am and go to bed at midnight or a maximum of 6 hours of rest.
- Running: 3 times in the morning. 3×10 minute runs with 1 minute rest in between.
- Freediving: Pool session on Thursday. Do a dry walk or static on 5 other days.
- Food: Start eating regularly 3 times a day on workdays. Not yet paleo style but no snacks after dinner! Soda light no problem.
- Mental: Read some books and start writing regularly again.
Adam Nelson - My favorite shot putter
My son has started again with his track & field training. It’s great to watch him work on all the different athletics disciplines. Seeing him run, jump and throw in all kinds of different activities made me wanna be on the field again myself.
I’ve done athletics from the age of 6 until 16 and a lot of competitions in that time. And I was not too bad at it! I loved the decathlon, but my specialties were discus and shot put.
A few years back I went back to the field with Sanne and I think we trained for these disciplines for around 8-9 months. 2 sessions a week, technique, power, everything. Even a little competition again. But due to personal circumstance I couldn’t continue doing it.
But now that my son has started again, it’s a waste of time for me to just stand, watch and wait for him. So I talked to the club and as long as no planned youth training is making use of the facility, I can go and use it instead.
Yesterday was time for the first test. After a few years, how would I do and how would I feel. After 50 minutes of throwing, I already got some confidence back in speed and thrust. And best of all, it was so much fun to do it again.
Next day I really felt in my muscles that I did something new again. So let’s continue with this and see what it brings me. The minimum is a good feeling in the end.
The best excuse to have children is the fact that everybody understands when you are playing around. People don’t look strange at me when I’m building a sandcastle on the beach with my son. They don’t make funny faces when I’m rollerblading with my daughter. Or at least I’m not noticing it. And if they would, I wouldn’t care!
Too many adults forget to play and just have fun. Not everything in life has to be serious. Sometimes it’s good to let of steam by doing something ‘childish’ or fun that makes no sense in first sight. Go jump in the waves of an ocean. Or run down from the dunes as hard as you can and fall on your face. Do crazy, enjoy life!
Strange thing is that there isn’t a clear trend with adults with kids and without with regards to being playful. I know a father who has 5 kids and he’s still a stiff office clerk with no fun in him. I know people without kids who have fun as if they were a complete kindergarten class.
My kids remind me everyday that I need to have fun in live. They remind me of my own childhood and what was important then. Of course I have responsibilities now, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for anything playful in a day.
It’s time for some playtime in the swimmingpool and use the slides once again. Can you be faster then me?
Well, okay probably not my first running competition ever, but it’s been at least 15 years since my last one. I just inscribed for the “Sqware Najaarscross Bladel 2009″ run. And I’m planning to do a 6 kilometer run there.
So I still have 4 weeks for training before it’s time. I have to work my way up from where I’m now to a decent continuous speed without getting blisters or calve or foot pain.
This week I will do 4×7 minutes. Next week will be 3×10 minutes. Then I will tackle the 2×15 and final week will be for the 1×30 minutes.
I have no illusion that I can do a 6 kilometer cross run under 30 minutes. Time is of no importance, pleasure is! I want to run 6k without any physical pain other then my cardiovascular system working like crazy. Wish me luck!
