Blog
In 2007, I started this website so I could share my MSc thesis easily. I started blogging random thoughts that were on my mind, mostly related to theology, culture, and humour. I moved part of this to Tumblr, and a dedicated culture review site in 2010 (it no longer exists), but when I joined Automattic in 2015, I revamped my blog. These days, it’s mostly a space where I share photography and thoughts on leadership and tech. The latter is what you’ll find on this page.
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1–2 minutes
Get Luz’s Hermeneia Matthew Commentary FREE This Month from Logos (Gupta)
I’ve been very impressed with the deals at of Logos Bible Software this year. Luz’ Matthew commentary from the Hermeneia series for only $7? That is ridiculously cheap. (Part 2 is $2 and part 3 is $5.)
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3–4 minutes
My WooNiversary: One Year at WooThemes
Today I’m starting my second year at WooThemes. What a crazy, but awesome year it has been. Let me walk you through some (selected) highlights and challenges; it’s no surprise that those often are very related. Remote FTW Though I’ve never had fixed hours with any of my previous jobs, working remotely definitely adds another
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2–3 minutes
Why I Use Mailbox App for Work
I’ve changed mail clients quite a few times in my life. From using Outlook when i was still on Windows to Mail on Mac and have trialled AirMail 2, Outlook for Mac, Inky, Postbox, and Unibox. After comparing pros and cons again while changing to my Automattic mail, I’ve reviewed all of them again and
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1–2 minutes
Hugh’s Intro Slides for WordCamp Cape Town 2015
The latest WordCamp Cape Town was my fourth WordCamp (next to three Cape Town ones I also was at the last Cologne one). Hugh gives a great invite to make the best out of these superb community events. Learn! Get involved! Have fun!
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1–2 minutes
Purpose-Driven Website: Workshop WordCamp Cape Town 2015
Today I went to my third WordCamp Cape Town. Two years ago I had never guessed that I would be working for WooThemes and Automattic as I am today and it was my absolute pleasure to share some of the basics of web design and structures to new and beginning users. In sum these are things
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4–6 minutes
The Importance of Reading Scripture in Community
Our church is Cape Town is running an Alpha Course. While these materials are great of exploring Christianity with interested people, the materials also have their shortcomings. One that stood out for me so far was the lack of community-focus when talking about Scripture. Today the ideal way to read the Bible is considered to be
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2–3 minutes
Why I Loved Doing Live-Chat at Automattic
Everyone who joins Automattic starts with a three-week support rotation on WordPress.com. Including everyone at WooThemes now that our company has joined the team. The past three weeks I was on rotation. I could talk a lot about why I think this initial rotation (that is repeated annually) is great, but in this post, I
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1–2 minutes
Happiness Engineers.
At the moment I’m doing a three week support rotation at Automattic. Sometimes it can be very challenging, but having great and encouraging users make up for all the hardship. Helping Per with his website was an absolute pleasure, and made this happiness engineer, well … happy.
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1–2 minutes
From Reaction to Proaction
At CMS Africa (the Summit in Nairobi, Kenya), I spoke on taking back the initiative in customer support. Often companies tend to wait until the customer points out a bug, a challenge, or an issue. By proactively training and educating customers, and doing thorough testing you can have better educated and happier customers. Here are my
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2–3 minutes
Smart Themes Settings & WP Customiser
As I’ve shared a few times before, I am not a developer. But that doesn’t mean that I do not enjoy building websites; it means that I am limited to the options that themes and plugins have built-in. I am not able to do a lot of customisations (play with the code). I’ve set up
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2–3 minutes
Ethical Leadership
Peter G. Northouse’s Leadership is internationally considered as a standard introduction of leadership. One thing the book makes very clear is how many perspectives there are on leadership. “Good” Leadership One of those perspectives that is very high to my priorities list is the focus on ethics. While trying to have students and scholars engage for different
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2–3 minutes
Welcoming & Appreciating
My first month at WooThemes is finished. What a rollercoaster it has been. For the first time in my life I’ve had a look at the company side of customer support, I’ve been involved with tons of ideas, was part of WordCamp Cape Town and am now preparing to leave to San Francisco for WooConf
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2–3 minutes
From Expert to N00b
Today I’m changing jobs. I have to admit, it’s pretty scary and intimidating. So far, I’ve always been the WordPress expert in the companies and NGOs I worked for. I know how to set-up WP and do a little bit of tweaking in CSS and HTML, but that’s about it. The fact that I was
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1–2 minutes
Time for a New Website
I’ve always enjoyed writing, and since I started my first blog in 2007 I haven’t stopped with online publications. Next to my blog, I have written for Breeze, CULTUURSHOCK, and Blikoponeindig. Professionally I have been writing a little bit for Ichtus and CTBC. Lately I have also started a South African sister to our Dutch
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1–2 minutes
Donald Fairbairn Quote
The biblical idea is not so much that there is one divine essence in which Father, Son and Spirit participate. Rather, it is that there is one God, the Father, but there are also two persons who are equal to him and each other in such a way that they are one being, one God.
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2–3 minutes
Over de protestantse muren kijken (2)
Onlangs had ik het over een open houding hebben tegenover andere protestantse tradities. Een voorbeeld dat we in de klas bespraken, is dat van James K.A. Smith. In zijn boek The Devil Reads Derrida – een verzameling van allemaal korte essays, waarvan er heel wat op het internet te vinden zijn – staat een stukje
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2–3 minutes
Over de protestantse muren kijken (1)
Op dit moment volg ik het vak Protestant Theological Systems. Daarin bespreken we de belangrijkste stromingen binnen de protestantse traditie (lutheranen, wederdopers – of anabaptsiten -, gereformeerden, anglicanen, baptisten, wesleyanen, dispensationalisten en pinksterchristenen). Ik vind het boeiend om bezig te zijn met dit onderwerp. Het helpt me om me meer bewust te worden van mijn
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1–2 minutes
Upside Down(syndroom)
Mijn vader werkt met mensen met een verstandelijke beperking. Al zolang als ik me kan herinneren, kwamen thuis af en toe zulke mensen over de vloer en heb ik hen dus soms in mijn omgeving gehad. Met andere woorden, ik voel me niet echt ongemakkelijk wanneer ik in de buurt kom van iemand met het
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2–3 minutes
Media-analyse
Op de Formación, de zomerconferentie van Ichtus Vlaanderen, kregen we dit jaar een workshop media-analyse. Het is een tijdje stil geweest op mijn blog en het feit dat ik met dit onderwerp opnieuw begin – en een paar maanden geleden met een gelijkaardig onderwerp afsloot – laat zien hoe belangrijk ik dit wel vind. In