VANITY TOYS charm bracelet (detail) © briserisvegliWhy is it so hard to keep a place or a room free of clutter? Why do empty surfaces fill up with clutter, instantly? Why do items start to gather at the very places we've just cleaned a moment ago, as if moved by a ghost's hand?

It's about more than just clearing and cleaning.

When we clean places up, we want to believe we're creating free space. However, we're just creating a vacuum. What's the difference?  » Read more

«Opening Gifts» © Omer Ziv

Holidays and birthdays always come as such a surprise, don't they… ;-) ?

From secular occasions like wedding anniversaries, to Valentine's Day, to New Year, to religious events like Christmas, Layla tul Mehraj, Vesak, Holi or Passover - all around the globe, many people ask themselves every year: how can I make a friend or loved one happy and make or find a special present for her or him?

There are gifts to avoid, gifts you can do yourself (DIY) and appropriate times to start.  » Read more

«Vieanna» © Ian WoodsHere's a disclaimer: I wrote this posting because I'm fed up with spammers, telemarketers and nosy companies that try to squeeze out each and every bit of information they can get from me, be it for resale, preparing unsolicited phone calls or mailing me their boring newsletters.

This article is for you if you feel the same. If you're looking for support in becoming Mr Fraud, please go away. And when you've read this posting, stay aware that everything mentioned here is available to everybody, and there is always somebody who may or even will try to use it against you. I recommend visiting the Digital Identity Forum for more thorough discussions of identity issues that go beyond practical aspects.

The fifth part of this mini series on protecting your inbox shows you how to maintain temporary inboxes that yo can dispose of at any time, whenever they start getting abused.  » Read more