Month: December 2019

  • Book review: Humankind

    Book review: Humankind

    Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris This is going to be a somewhat odd book review because the book I am reviewing, isn’t actually available. At the time I am writing this, the book entitled “Humankind” by Dutch historian Rutger Bregman hasn’t been published in English yet. However, it’s already available in Dutch bearing…

  • Writing

    Writing

    Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris It’s not known exactly when humanity invented writing but we do know that writing is at least 5000 years old. The ancient Sumerian people were probably the first to write down their stories, their laws, their poems and their thoughts, inscribing them into clay tablets. Thousands of these…

  • 8 years

    8 years

    Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris 8 years ago today, December 15 of 2011, the world lost Christopher Hitchens. Although there are probably some people who didn’t mind to see him go, especially those in religious circles, I do miss him. Readers of my blog will know that I admire him, though not always…

  • The best teachers…

    The best teachers…

    Last Updated on 2019-12-12 by Joop Beris The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see, a quote by Alexandra K. Trenfor. Very true and very inspirational for all people who train, educate or raise.

  • Vegetarian

    Vegetarian

    Last Updated on 2022-12-05 by Joop Beris The last couple of months, I have been considering a lifestyle change. Part of that includes more exercise but also healthier living in general. Part of that is a change in diet and even adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. There are several reasons why being a vegetarian is appealing…

  • Advice for life

    Advice for life

    Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris In 1999 Baz Lurhman released a spoken word song with the title “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” The song is in the form of a fake commencement speech and is based on an essay by columnist Mary Schmich with the title “Advice, like youth, probably wasted on the…