Digital Mystique or how to be a Superhero

The Digital Mystique by Sarah Granger

The Digital Mystique, a book by Sarah Granger. Picture by Chris Remspecher in 2015.Living in 2015 can be a real digital mystique.

Keeping all your devices, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, etc. up to date can be a real challenge. On the next level, you worry about the kids getting lost in the World Wide Web, while losing your mind explaining your mom that WiFi really does not need a cable!

You have to be a Superhero today.

Sarah Granger (@sarahgranger) wrote a great manual to tackle the daily challenges in our brave new world. The Digital Mystique is a journey through life, love, hope and fears. Sarah will share many stories from her own life and remind you several times, about the importance of friends and community support.

Friends don’t let friends do stupid things – alone.” Unknown

Since this blog is about stress, yes, the digital mystique can be a real relief. Reading how Sarah started her digital career in 1982 and knowing, how gracefully she challenged her brand new iPhone 6 to compete against gravity, makes her a real Superhero of the Digital Mystique. Thank you for the awesome book and letter, Sarah!

Jaron Lanier – Gadget

You are not a Gadget. A Manifesto by Jaron LanierYou are not a Gadget. A book by Jaron Lanier. Maybe it’s even a medical pill.

If you wonder why 500+ million people use facebook, why cloud computing (or even klout) is such a hype and why we still need intelligent individuals, then this pill is for you.

You have to be someone, before you can share something relevant.

Jaron made me think a lot about the “login effects” of life. The amount of data and information is increasing everyday. New network ports formerly known as human beings have to handle the fragmentation of _flat_ relationships; it’s never been easier to friend/ unfriend with a single mouse click.

You are not a Gadget. A Manifesto makes you reflect and re-think the patterns and networks around you. Be a real person, with your real character because your content is still king!

Thanks for the journey, Jaron!

Amazon.com You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto (Vintage)

Amazon.de Gadget: Warum die Zukunft uns noch braucht

Forest bathing

A walk through a forest is a multimedia spectacle. Air to breathe, an ocean of colors, a concert of fragrances, surround sounds everywhere – from your steps on the trail to the tops of the trees. Forest bathing is healthy and even free!

Recently the NY Times wrote about the therapeutic effects of forest bathing. Stress reduction, benefits for your immune system, lower pulse rate, less cortisol, lower blood pressure and much more. Somehow it’s no surprise to me, that the popular practice is called “Shinrin-yoku” in Japan. When did you do your last forest bathing? Mine was today.

In case you should not be able to take a walk or a forest bathing in “real life”, perhaps you might like to try at least a virtual forest bathing in Chakryn forest, which is a wonderful place in the virtual world of Second Life. Sure, it will not have the same impact like a real life forest but it might reduce some stress. You will find me in Second Life under my user name ZEN7MEN Mannonen. Happy bathing!

Deutsche Ãœbersetzung
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interview 200904

In April 2009 a friend of mine asked me for an interview about ZEN and my-self for a magazine in a virtual world called Secondlife. Since then I was repeatedly asked, if I could publish it “outworld” to share it easier, so here we go(in English only).


Interview for the Secondlife Icon magazine, 20090410

Hi .ZEN, we seem to be missing each other online. So I thought I’d just compile the questions and you can just send the note card back with your answers. My rough draft is due tomorrow.

1) how did you get interested in ZEN? am i calling it correctly?
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