Monday 25 April 2022

Stoic mindset

After reading Mark Tuitert's book 'Drive' I became very interested in this philosophy: Stoicism.

A stoic mindset can train you and help you channel your drive and make you more effective, calm and successful, both sharp and relaxed. It is not the external factors that are important, but getting the best out of yourself and doing the right thing for others.

Here's a brief summary:

  1. Use setbacks as indicators
    turn damage into growth, antifragile: profit from disorder
  2. Less judging is more understanding
    do not act on your first impulse, weigh your emotions
  3. Don't focus on winning
    control only what is in your power, focus on what you can influence
  4. Team interest is also self interest
    treat your neighbor as yourself, mean a lot to others
  5. Accept your fate and love it
    amor fati, love reality, no matter how hard: "every disadvantage has its advantage"
  6. Death makes life epic
    "Dying is easy, anyone can do it" - Rene Gudde"
    "We die every day, because every day a part of our life is taken away" - Seneca
  7. Happiness is a by-product
    'it's not about the destination, it's the journey', focus on what you do have, be grateful.
  8. A map is useful, a compass even more so. Choose your direction that suits your nature.
    "If you don't know which port you are sailing to, no wind is favorable" - Senica
  9. Character and personal development is your main project
    Pursue the cardinal virtues to grow into what you want to be: courage, temperance, justice and wisdom.
  10. Actions are worth more than words
    Make choices, take action and be ambitious.


Socrates (469-399 v. Chr.) Greek philosopher
Cleanthes, Chrysippus (300 v. Chr.) Greek philosophers
Zeno (335-262 v. Chr.) Greek salesman, founder of stoicism
Seneca (-4-65 n. Chr.) Roman scholar, orator, statesman, writer (ice bath)
Epictetus (50-135 n. Chr.) from Roman slave to philosophy teacher
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 n. Chr.) Roman emperor



Saturday 23 April 2022

Our lttle gazebo

Bij Gadero in Breukelen hebben we het tuinhuisje Asmund gekocht:

  • 5-hoekig model 3x3 meter met puntdak
  • blokhut van 28 mm vurenhout, grijs geimpregneerd
  • kunststof funderings balken
  • vloerplanken : nog niet besteld
  • dakshingles zwart beverstaart
  • afdekkap met bol
  • startersset (nagels, stormankers e.d.)
  • prijs: €2290 (toeval: een dag later €200 duurder?)
Bij Steenbergen de Klomp hebben we 11 m2 (31 keramische tegels 60x60cm) , opsluitbanden 5x15cm, een b.b. brekerzand en kit besteld en komen ze brengen.
Met de bestaande vlonderplanken maken we een terras ernaast en eventueel later nog een overkapping tussen het huisje en de schuur.