tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51705845144217006292023-11-16T15:30:12.770+01:00Antje's NotesThoughts on life, work, and motherhoodantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-20137822581310543472016-09-20T15:11:00.001+02:002016-09-20T17:28:01.078+02:00home sweet homeEs tragen die Winde ein Lied in die Welt
the winds are carrying a song into the world
Ein Lied von den Trossingen Harfen
a song of the trossingen harps
Es klingt von der Stadt über Häuser und Feld
it echos from the town over houses and fields
Es rauscht in Tannen und Arven
it whispers in firs and pine trees
Wo Schlehndorn und Flieder am Gauner erblühn
where blackthorn and lilac are flowering at antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-67111671254613047752014-03-05T00:04:00.003+01:002014-03-05T00:41:25.608+01:00heart granny love
Dutch translation of this beautiful crochet pattern by Ginger Badger for Heartmade Blessings, with the help & for the benefit of the ladies at Dutch Crochet, a Granny a day 2013 and all my fellow addicts at Stitch Leidscherijn.
Hart Granny
©Ginger Badger (HeartmadeBlessings.org)
Materialen
1 bol garen kleur A (bv rood)
1 bol garen kleur B (bv wit)
1 bol garen kleur C (bv blauw)
antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-70542665993991381472013-08-17T19:06:00.000+02:002014-03-05T00:24:24.849+01:00deathI am not afraid of death
only of pain
death would be a relieve
but we mustn't take the easy way out
for the sake of our family and friends we must keep on fighting
this is the price we pay for loveantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-51601860397432889432011-12-20T13:22:00.003+01:002016-06-02T22:37:06.941+02:00nerdy husbandSo what does my loving husband get up to on a romantic winter evening at home? - Play with Lambda expressions in .Net, of course!
Oh well, at least I don't have to worry about him getting drunk down the pub or paying too much attention to the secretary ;-)
antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-49274436067182542932010-10-05T14:01:00.003+02:002016-06-02T22:36:47.538+02:00flotsamam I but a tiny flotsam in the ocean of life,
helplessly tossed about by the waves and prevailing winds,
eventually to be swallowed up and disappear without reason or consequenceantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-40290833087498161942010-07-15T01:34:00.036+02:002016-06-02T22:39:16.577+02:00birth controlAs a Christian I have been taught to hold all human life sacred, and as a mother I have a vested interest in the future prosperity of humanity in general, and my family in particular. Growing up in the Black Forest, I have always felt an affinity for nature and environmental concerns. However, lately I am getting increasingly despaired about our seeming inability to acknowledge and effectively antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-34874136640334150692010-02-17T08:42:00.018+01:002010-07-15T03:02:23.582+02:00dreaming on route 66On a Tuesday afternoon, about twelve years ago, I was chatting with a young IT student near Grand Canyon. With all our belongings stuffed in a U-Haul van, my husband and I were in the process of moving from San Francisco to the east coast. This young man was eager to hear about our work. The local community were sponsoring his education, for which he was very grateful. But he was also sad, as it antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-50826795401637766452010-02-14T15:37:00.008+01:002016-06-02T22:37:58.849+02:00mustn't give uponce everything has been stripped away, there remains just my pitiful soul
but I mustn't give up, must keep on going, for the sake of my family & friends
help me, lordantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-2394127472927698052010-01-17T10:43:00.004+01:002016-06-02T22:39:44.390+02:00pityI do not want your pity.
But I crave your praise and respect.
And any true love or friendship you might have to spare.
antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-33117834695100583852010-01-16T19:34:00.016+01:002016-06-02T22:40:08.598+02:00LonelyFeeling lonely, in this desolate gray country, devoid of hills and forests, with leaden skies and orderly rows of identical houses.
Lonely in this clumsy, harsh language that does not allow me to express my emotions.
Lonely amongst busy, self-sufficient people, with no patience for lonely strangers.
Lonely in a world that favors the strong and ruthless.
Lonely, far away from family and antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-68715490941377961822009-09-29T13:44:00.008+02:002016-06-02T22:41:13.733+02:00Sort of Date @ Design by Fire Café
Yesterday evening, the first Design by Fire Café took place at Café Midi in Utrecht.
As locations go, Yohan certainly managed to find another hidden gem! - What I first mistook for just another beer-swishing corner joint, turned out to be a cozy pub offering a feast of amazing fresh, natural, excellently prepared vegetarian food, with a select choice of wonderful organic tea!
After dinner antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-30236601521600642762009-06-08T15:12:00.007+02:002016-06-02T22:42:11.512+02:00UX Cocktail of Cultural Context
Picture byUser Intelligence
On May 6th, User Intelligence was hosting an entertaining & educational UX cocktail hour at their light and airy premises in Amsterdam’s historic downtown. The event proved very popular; only limited spaces were available, unfortunately, and they had filled up within hours. Nevertheless, as always, the cocktail hour was a great opportunity to catch up with many antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-83222744150094756822009-05-23T10:21:00.005+02:002016-06-02T23:08:31.617+02:00next generationWhile visiting my parents last weekend, I had the pleasure to meet my brother's new girlfriend, and her ten year old son. We got along very well, and I took an immediate liking to both of them.
As many boys of his age, Taced loves to play online games and is fascinated by computers. Not surprisingly, he dreams of starting his own company and developing computer games. Thus he was quite excited antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-45314897756871038032009-03-10T16:50:00.003+01:002009-03-10T17:25:50.398+01:00in support of play- and reading cornersI've always been obsessed with books and reading. As a child I spent many a night hiding under the blanket with a pocket light and my collection of Enyd Blyton novels. As a student, I spent a blissful vacation with my (equally afflicted) friend Birgitta meandering across the beautiful English and Cornish countryside, always on the lookout for second hand bookstores, to find hidden treasures, and antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-46123523703097601102009-01-19T23:42:00.054+01:002009-01-23T23:15:14.636+01:00Sexual Paradox & Gender Gap?I recently came across Susan Pinker's ideas on behavioral and professional differences caused by gender & hormonal influences. Particularly her explanation in a recent Dutch TV documentary, on why female success (or seeming lack thereof) should be defined and measured differently, stroke a chord.To some degrees, I myself am an example of Susan's "high achieving women [who] choose jobs that antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-46311640759331507072008-12-24T16:42:00.002+01:002016-06-02T22:44:47.211+02:00santa (by robin, age 6)
Wishing ya'll a wonderful holiday season and the very best for the new year!
XXX Antjeantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-10739556682021717482008-12-23T09:42:00.007+01:002008-12-23T10:18:25.172+01:00(business) success through UxD?As user experience has become more popular amongst business and marketing, there seems to be a trend to focus on conversion rates and how to get users to purchase certain products or services. Of course commercial aspects are important, but we must not loose sight of the essence and purpose of our profession.As Valeria Maltoni recommends very fittingly in her Top Ten Reasons Why You're not a antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-91531692614344828432008-12-14T13:13:00.013+01:002008-12-14T14:34:23.966+01:00new year's confusionIn the autumn of 2006, I resigned a lucrative position as senior designer and user researcher at an established user experience group. Many of my friends and colleagues were surprised by my decision, but at the time I felt it was the right thing to do, make a change, and take some time for myself and my family.Over the past two years, I got to know many inspiring people and organizations, antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-13305295370118648592008-12-10T15:44:00.008+01:002016-06-02T22:45:18.992+02:00homecomingLast Sunday, an (expatriate) friend invited me to attend a Christmas concert of the Choir Company Sisters at the evangelical church in Ijsselstein. I must admit it was rather disconcerting at first to hear such a modern interpretation (with Dutch text!?) of traditional German and English Christmas carols.
As always around this time of year, I really miss my childhood home in Southern Germany antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-29151683550421802732008-11-21T08:32:00.053+01:002016-06-02T22:46:02.587+02:00web analytics at UR BOFYesterday evening was the 7th meeting of CHI Netherlands User Research BOF at the Creative Learning Lab in Amsterdam, with two presentations on web analytics.
Adam Cox en Martijn Klompenhouwer of User Intelligence shared some interesting examples and lessons learned of combining web analytics and user research.
While web analytics can provide a lot of data on where users are coming from (e.g. antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-71719768900623169742008-11-09T08:44:00.008+01:002016-06-02T22:46:30.789+02:00paper prototyping on steroidsI want me one of them!! ;-)
Awesome animation by Evelien Lohbeck:
antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-43787946521638334762008-10-02T21:45:00.012+02:002008-11-09T09:12:45.674+01:00concept visualization - take threeI've often been praising the strength of visualization techniques to define, communicate, and refine technology and business concepts. As Adam Greenfield points out in Everyware, a good example how powerful a tool concept visualization can be is the development of Raytheon's Common Tactical Blackboard for the US military after seeing the animation of John Underkoffler's original concept in antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-48787499210041207712008-09-22T09:22:00.003+02:002008-09-22T09:35:03.731+02:00concept visualization XXLOpinions seem to be divided on this one (see e.g. Kara Swisher's note), but I'm absolutely in love with Scott McCloud's visualization of Google Chrome (then again I have always been a fan of BD's, i.e. Franco-Belgian comic strips ;-).Of course in this instance the strip was created after the fact and is used mainly as communication & marketing tool. But in my experience these type of antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-65166150927527345452008-09-17T15:39:00.003+02:002008-09-17T16:29:59.127+02:00interface sweet spot & comfort zoneInteresting theory by Marc Van Rymenant (Netway) on dividing user interfaces based on physiological and behavioral research as foundation for composition principles (think Phi and Leonardo's magic numbers) to determine interface sweet spots and comfort zones.I'm very curious to hear if any designers actually observe noticeable positive effects when applying this approach to their visual designs.antjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5170584514421700629.post-46360079937756900992008-08-14T15:26:00.016+02:002016-06-02T22:47:49.065+02:00happy childhood memoriesThis year's summer vacation with my parents in Southern Germany is a romantic trip down memory lane, as my father takes my son hiking across the rolling hills and endless forests of my youth, sharing old stories, remembering previous generations, feeding the insatiable curiosity of my multicultural offspring with local history and family traditions.
I can barely believe the beauty surrounding meantjehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18235378105084067191noreply@blogger.com0