My Diary – Leonardo Cardillo

Key Takeaways

• A warehouse worker in the Netherlands is told he is slow and faces the risk of losing his job, even though the real delay comes from a colleague.
• The colleague acts like a handbrake on a car, turning clear instructions into confusion and slowing every step of the work.
• The boss sees only the final speed of the small team and complains that “you are going very slowly”, without seeing how the work is organised.
• Health agencies in Europe now treat this kind of hidden pressure and blocked workflow as a psychosocial risk at work, not just a personal weakness.

Story & Details

The story takes place in the Netherlands in late November 2025. A warehouse and production worker is pulled aside at work and told that he is slow. The warning is sharp. If he does not speed up, he may be fired. The message lands hard. It feels less like a suggestion and more like a threat.

On paper he is part of a small team of two. In reality, he feels very alone in that team. He shares tasks with one colleague, but this colleague does not help the work move faster. Instead, the colleague slows everything down. The worker starts to describe his daily life with a simple picture: driving a car with the handbrake on. He can press the pedal and try to move faster, but something is always pulling back.

The details behind that image are very concrete. The colleague needs a long time to do his part of the job. He often does not understand new instructions. This means the worker must stop what he is doing to explain again and again. Instead of saving time by sharing work, the pair lose time in repeated explanations. There are also many small interruptions. The colleague asks questions that could be avoided if the instructions were clear to both of them from the start. Each interruption breaks the worker’s focus and puts another small weight on his shoulders.

Information often takes a strange path. When the boss has something new to explain, it does not always go straight to the worker who can move quickly. It sometimes goes first to the colleague, because the worker is busy handling another task. The colleague is then expected to pass on the instructions. But if the colleague did not fully understand them, what arrives is a messy version of the message. The worker feels like he is working with a second-hand map that has pieces missing.

He is sure that, if he were working alone on the same line, the story would change. Instructions would come straight from the source. If something was not clear, he could simply ask again. He could move at his natural speed instead of at the speed of the slowest link in the chain.

The boss, however, looks at the situation from a distance. Instead of looking at each person, he looks at the output of the team. At one point he tells them both that they are going very slowly. He talks to them as a unit. For the worker, this raises a new question. Does the boss not see the problem inside the team? Or is the boss acting as if he does not see it, hoping that pressure will push the worker to complain about his colleague?

The worker refuses to do that. He does not want to be the person who blames someone else to save himself. At the same time, he feels trapped. He wants to protect his job, but also his basic sense of fairness. In quiet moments, his wish becomes very simple: to block the colleague’s negative effect on his work, without hurting that colleague as a person.

He starts to look for small, calm ways to do this. When tasks are handed out, it helps if he speaks up early and offers to take the parts that depend on clear instructions. When explanations are given, it helps if he can be present and listen first-hand. When the colleague comes back with doubts, it sometimes helps to gently suggest asking the boss directly, so that the information does not have to pass through several people before it reaches the point where work is actually done.

These are not big, dramatic moves. They are quiet attempts to protect his own energy and speed without turning the workplace into a battlefield. They are also a way of shifting attention from “who is slow” to “how is the work organised”.

Across Europe, similar stories are becoming more visible. Surveys by safety and health agencies show that many workers report heavy time pressure and feel that their efforts are not seen, even when they are doing their best in difficult conditions. Experts use the term “psychosocial risk” for problems that come from the way work is set up, from constant stress, from unfair blame, or from tension inside teams. These risks are linked to anxiety, depression and other health problems when they are not addressed.

Dutch rules on working conditions say that employers must look not only at physical dangers, but also at this kind of pressure. They are asked to assess these risks, to create a plan, and to make sure workers know what support is available. In practice, this can mean better training, clearer roles, more direct communication and access to a company doctor when stress becomes too much.

Seen through this wider lens, the warehouse story is not just about one “slow” worker. It is about a man stuck between a colleague who acts like a handbrake and a boss who looks only at the speed of the car. It is also about a system that sometimes forgets to check the brakes before blaming the driver.

Conclusions

The Dutch warehouse story shows how easy it is to label a worker as slow when the deeper problem lies in the way work is shared and explained. A team of two can look simple from the outside, but inside it may hide a maze of delays, interruptions and mixed messages. When only the final numbers are measured, the person who cares most about the work can still end up carrying the blame.

Health experts and labour authorities now warn that this kind of hidden pressure is not a minor detail. When someone works for a long time in a setting where effort is blocked, where blame feels unfair, and where there is no clear way out, the risk to mental health grows. Calling this a psychosocial risk does not solve it, but it helps to name the problem in a more honest way.

For workers in similar situations, quiet changes can still make a difference: asking for instructions directly, protecting concentration, encouraging clear communication, and remembering that wanting to be fair to a colleague does not mean accepting limitless strain. For employers, the lesson is just as clear. Looking beyond simple labels like “slow” and into the structure of the work is not only kinder; it is also smarter if the goal is a healthy, steady and truly productive team.

Selected References

[1] European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). “Psychosocial risks and mental health at work.” https://osha.europa.eu/en/themes/psychosocial-risks-and-mental-health

[2] World Health Organization. “Mental health at work.” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work

[3] International Labour Organization. “Psychosocial risks and stress at work.” https://www.ilo.org/resource/psychosocial-risks-and-stress-work

[4] Business.gov.nl. “Physical and psychosocial strain.” https://business.gov.nl/regulation/physical-psychosocial-strain/

[5] European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). “Managing stress and psychosocial risks at work – Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2014–2015.” YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBy4WaR14Bo

[6] European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). “OSH Pulse 2025: Mental health at work.” https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-publications/infographics/osh-pulse-2025-mental-health-work

[7] Netherlands Labour Authority. “Psychosocial workload at Dutch universities.” https://www.nllabourauthority.nl/publications/reports/2024/05/14/psychosocial-workload-at-dutch-universities

Appendix

Boss pressure

This phrase refers to the way a manager’s words and tone can create strong emotional weight for a worker, especially when comments focus on speed and the threat of job loss rather than on clear guidance or support.

Handbrake colleague

This image describes a co-worker whose slow pace, confusion or constant need for help makes the whole team move more slowly, even when another person in the team is ready and able to work faster.

Psychosocial risk

This term is used by health and safety experts for problems at work that come from how tasks are organised, how people are treated and how pressure is applied, such as long-term stress, bullying or unfair blame.

Werkdruk

In Dutch, this word means work pressure; it is often used when people feel there is too much to do, too quickly, with not enough control or support, and it is closely linked to discussions about stress at work in the Netherlands.

Work stress

This describes the strain that builds up when the demands of a job are too high for too long, or when someone has little control over the pace and content of their work, and it can lead to tiredness, anxiety and health problems if it continues without change.

Key Takeaways

• What it is: A green multi-tool sold as SEESE “8-in-1” electrician pliers with wire stripping, cutting, twisting, and a small voltage tester claim.
• Why it’s trending: Heavy social ads and low prices make it eye-catching for quick fixes.
• Main risk: Generic or re-branded gear can be inconsistent; ratings and safety details are thin.
• Better idea: For regular or pro work, pick trusted makes like Knipex, Klein Tools, or Wiha.

Story & Details

The tool in one line
This is a long-nose pliers head with two small round ports, often labeled for twisting and splitting. Sellers pitch it as a single tool that strips, cuts, crimps, twists, and even “tests” for live wires.

Why it pops up now
In November 2025, feeds are full of short clips showing quick cable tricks and “limited” discounts. The SEESE name appears on big marketplaces with copy that promises many jobs in one hand.

The promise vs. real use
All-in-one tools are handy for light jobs. But claims about safe voltage testing, hard-use durability, and clean precision are not always backed by strong specs. Listings sometimes show it under generic labels, with few reviews and no clear insulation rating. That is a warning sign for daily electrical work.

What to use instead
When work is frequent—or near live circuits—reliability wins. Well-known electrician tools cost more, but they cut cleanly, keep alignment, and publish detailed specs. Look at a Knipex electrical-installation multi-tool, a Klein wire-stripper multi-tool, or Wiha’s installation/multifunction pliers. These makers explain materials, hardness, and insulation standards in plain terms.

Conclusions

SEESE can live in a home drawer as a cheap helper or backup. It can trim, strip, and twist in a pinch. For steady jobs, though, choose a proven brand and a clear spec sheet. Good tools feel right in the hand, stay sharp, and make every cut clean. That calm, repeatable quality is worth it.

Selected References

[1] SEESE-style multi-tool listing on a major marketplace (product details, pricing, and claims). https://www.walmart.com/ip/Seese-Wire-Stripper-8-1-Wire-Stripper-Pinzas-De-Electricidad-Electric-Pliers-Pro-Multicraft-Wire-Stripping-Tool-Electric-Wire-Stripping-Tool-Cutting/16620716915
[2] Knipex — Pliers for Electrical Installation (model family with detailed specs). https://www.knipex.com/products/combination-and-multifunctional-pliers/pliers-for-electrical-installation-multi-tool-for-electricians/pliers-electrical-installation-multi-tool-electricians/1396200
[3] Klein Tools — Multi Tool, Stripper, Crimper, Wire Cutter (1001). https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/combination-cutting-tools/multi-tool-stripper-crimper-wire-cutter-8-22-awg
[4] Wiha — Installation pliers (including 8-in-1 multifunction model). https://wiha.com/tools/pliers/installation-pliers/
[5] YouTube (journalistic): “Top 7 Tools for Electrical Projects” — Ask This Old House. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmuDIFyXZ98

Appendix

All-in-one tool
A single hand tool that tries to do several jobs—cutting, stripping, crimping, twisting—so a user can carry less.

Established brands
Makers with long track records, published specs, and clear safety notes; their tools are consistent and built for daily use.

Long-nose pliers
Slim, tapered jaws that reach into tight spaces and hold small parts; some versions also cut or strip.

Voltage tester claims
Marketing language that a tool can detect live wires; without clear specs or ratings, treat this as basic and not a substitute for a certified tester.

Wire stripper
A tool that removes cable insulation without cutting the copper or aluminum inside; key for clean, safe terminations.

A simple subject for everyday kitchens

Key Takeaways

Quick points

• Frozen meals that are sold as “microwave meals” can also be heated on the stove in a pot, as long as the food is removed from its packaging and heated until it is very hot all the way through.
• Food safety agencies say the most important thing is to heat food fast and fully to a safe internal temperature, not which machine is used.
• Boiling in a lot of water can make pasta, rice, vegetables, and sauces soft and watery, while microwaving usually keeps the texture closer to what the producer planned.
• Microwaving often keeps more vitamins than boiling, because there is less water and a shorter cooking time.
• A gentle simmer on the hob with a little liquid and regular stirring is usually kinder to both taste and nutrition than a rolling boil.

Story & Details

A kitchen question in late November 2025

In many homes in late November 2025, life is busy and time is short. Frozen microwave meals promise a hot dinner in minutes. Yet a simple doubt often appears: what happens if there is no microwave at hand, only an induction hob and a pot?

The basic question is easy to say: can the food from a frozen microwave meal be taken out of its tray and boiled in a pot instead? This small doubt opens a wider story about safety, taste, and health.

Safety in plain words

Food safety experts repeat one key idea: cold food that should be hot is risky. Bacteria grow best in the middle range between cold and very hot. To keep food safe, it should pass through this “warm” zone quickly and end up steaming hot in the centre.

Public agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland explain that leftovers and ready meals can be reheated safely in many ways: in a microwave, in an oven, or in a saucepan on the hob. The rule is that the whole dish should reach a safe internal temperature and be visibly hot and steaming, not just warm on the surface.[1][2][3]

For frozen microwave meals, this means three simple moves on the stove:

• remove all packaging, especially plastic trays and films;
• place only the food in a suitable pan or pot;
• heat it until it is bubbling or steaming and there are no cold spots.

Thick dishes, such as lasagne or dense stews, need extra care. They should be stirred, turned, or broken into smaller pieces while heating, so the middle is as hot as the edges. Food safety pages stress that reheated food should not just be hot at the top but fully hot inside.[2][3]

How the hob changes taste and texture

Microwave meals are designed for a very specific journey: short time, direct heat in the food, and almost no extra water. The plastic tray and the printed times on the box are calculated for this path.

On the hob, especially in boiling water, the journey is different. Water surrounds the food. Pasta and rice can soak up more liquid and become soft or even mushy. Vegetables can lose their bite and colour. Sauces can thin out and taste weaker. A crispy top, if there was one, disappears completely in boiling water.

A softer method on the stove works better. Instead of filling the pot with water like for dry pasta, the frozen block of food can go into a pan with just a small splash of water, stock, milk, or sauce. With a lid on and a gentle flame or induction setting, steam and contact with the hot pan warm the food slowly and evenly. Regular stirring keeps it from burning and helps spread the heat. This way, the finished dish keeps more of its planned texture and flavour.

What happens to vitamins

Nutrition adds another layer to the story. Research on cooking methods shows that vegetables can lose water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C and many B vitamins, when they sit in hot water for a long time. Those vitamins move into the cooking water and are lost if that water is thrown away.[4][5][6][7]

Studies that compare boiling, steaming, and microwaving often find that boiling leads to the biggest losses of water-soluble vitamins. Steaming and microwaving, which use less water and shorter times, usually keep more of these nutrients.[4][5][6][7] Recent articles for general readers repeat the same idea: quick cooking with little water is usually kinder to vitamins than long boiling.[6][7]

This does not mean that boiling a ready meal suddenly makes it “unhealthy”. One dinner is only a small part of a full week of eating. But it does mean that, when there is a choice, the original microwave method or a gentle stovetop reheat with little added water tends to protect more vitamins than cooking the meal like a big pot of soup.

Why boxes say “microwave only”

Food companies test their products in detail. They choose a method that gives safe results and the taste and look they want, then print that method on the box. For many frozen meals, that method is the microwave, because it is fast and fits the way most people use these products.

The “microwave only” label does not mean that any other method is automatically unsafe. It means that the producer has tested and approved that one route. When a home cook moves the food into a pot on the hob, the cook becomes the one who must watch the heat, stir the food, and check that it is piping hot all the way through.

A tiny Dutch language moment

Kitchen talk can also be a small chance to enjoy language. One simple Dutch sentence fits this scene: “Ik warm mijn eten op.” It means “I heat my food.” Short, friendly phrases like this can make daily cooking feel a little more fun while the meal gently warms on the stove.

Conclusions

A gentle closing view

The subject is simple and familiar: frozen microwave meals, an induction hob, and a pot on a busy day in late November 2025. The answer is reassuring. Heating these meals on the stove is possible and, with a little care, safe.

The best path keeps three ideas in mind. First, safety: remove the packaging and heat the food until it is steaming hot all the way through. Second, pleasure: choose a gentle simmer with little extra water so that pasta, rice, vegetables, and sauces keep a pleasant bite and flavour. Third, health: remember that shorter cooking with less water normally protects more vitamins, even in a humble ready meal.

With those points in mind, the choice between microwave and hob becomes flexible. The packet on the box gives one tested route. The pot on the stove offers another, as long as heat, time, and a bit of attention do the rest.

Selected References

Core reading and viewing

[1] United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. “How Temperatures Affect Food.”
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/how-temperatures-affect-food

[2] Food Safety Authority of Ireland. “Cooking and Reheating.”
https://www.fsai.ie/consumer-advice/food-safety-and-hygiene/cooking-and-reheating

[3] S. K. Lee et al. “Effect of Different Cooking Methods on the Content of Vitamins and True Retention in Selected Vegetables.” Nutrients, 2018.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6049644/

[4] Healthline. “How Cooking Affects the Nutrient Content of Foods.”
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cooking-nutrient-content

[5] EatingWell. “Does Microwaving Your Food Destroy Its Nutrients? Here’s What Dietitians Say.”
https://www.eatingwell.com/does-microwaving-food-destroy-nutrients-11842135

[6] Health.com. “Steamed vs. Boiled Vegetables: Which Is Healthier?”
https://www.health.com/steam-vs-boil-vegetables-8743881

[7] United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDAFoodSafety channel). “How to Thaw Foods Properly.” YouTube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25s4JuWnvOU

Appendix

Boiling

Boiling is a cooking method in which food is fully covered by liquid that moves with strong, rolling bubbles, usually leading to softer textures and, for some foods, greater loss of water-soluble vitamins into the cooking water.

Dutch mini-lesson

Dutch mini-lesson here refers to the short example sentence “Ik warm mijn eten op,” which is a simple way to say “I heat my food” in Dutch and offers a small, friendly language moment linked to everyday cooking.

Food safety

Food safety is the set of simple rules and habits that keep food free from harmful levels of bacteria or toxins, including storing food at the right temperature and heating it quickly and fully so it becomes hot and steaming in the centre.

Frozen microwave meal

A frozen microwave meal is a ready-to-eat dish sold in the freezer section that is designed to be heated in a microwave oven, often in its own tray, and eaten soon after heating without extra cooking steps.

Induction hob

An induction hob is a type of cooking surface that uses magnetic fields to heat suitable pans directly, giving fast control of heat while the glass surface itself usually stays cooler than the pan.

Nutrients

Nutrients are the parts of food that help the body live and grow, such as vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, some of which can be reduced by long cooking times or large amounts of boiling water.

Ready meal

A ready meal is a pre-prepared dish, often frozen or chilled, that can be heated and eaten with no or very little extra preparation, making it a quick option for people with limited time or cooking space.

Stovetop reheating

Stovetop reheating means warming food in a pan or pot on a hob or cooker, using direct heat from below, often with a lid and a little added liquid to help spread the heat and prevent the food from drying out or burning.

YouTube reference

YouTube reference here means the single selected video link from an official food safety channel that offers clear, short guidance on safe handling of frozen foods, particularly how to thaw and prepare them without raising the risk of foodborne illness.

Key Takeaways

A local restaurant with a big role

Gooday is a Chinese–Indonesian all-inclusive restaurant and takeaway in the town of Appingedam in the north of the Netherlands. It serves a mix of Chinese, Indonesian, sushi and Western-style dishes and works with a buffet, a wok counter and a busy takeaway service.

A detailed 2025 menu

The printed 2025 takeaway price list shows how wide the offer is: soups, snacks, rice and noodle dishes, meat and fish plates, vegetarian options, sushi sets, house specials and shared rice tables. Prices sit in the mid-range, with most main dishes between about fifteen and twenty-three euros, and white rice included.

Loyalty, QR codes and easy payment

Guests can save stamps on a paper loyalty card, order food by scanning QR codes on flyers, and pay online through Dutch bank transfers. The mix of paper cards and digital tools shows how a classic neighbourhood restaurant now lives in both the street and the smartphone.

Part of a wider food story

Gooday is one example of a larger Dutch love story with Chinese–Indonesian food. National museums, historians and broadcasters now treat this restaurant culture as an important part of everyday heritage in the Netherlands.

Story & Details

A warm light on Wijkstraat

On a cool evening in late 2025, the lights of Gooday shine over Wijkstraat in Appingedam. Inside, families and groups move between buffet islands. Some guests fill their plates with sushi, grilled meat and salads. Others stand by the open wok counter and hand bowls of vegetables, meat and noodles to the cooks, who toss them quickly in high flames.

Gooday presents itself as an all-inclusive restaurant. Guests pay a fixed price for a two-hour visit and can then eat and drink as much as they like within that time slot. A slightly higher price at the end of the week reflects the busier nights from Friday to Sunday. The idea is simple: relaxed dinners, plenty of choice, and no surprise at the bill.

At the same time, the restaurant runs a steady takeaway business. People from Appingedam and nearby villages call in orders, tap on an ordering website, or scan the QR code printed on flyers and on the 2025 “takeaway price list”. The kitchen sends out familiar cardboard boxes of rice, noodles and sauces, just as many Dutch families have known for decades.

Inside the 2025 takeaway menu

The 2025 printed menu gives a clear snapshot of what Gooday offers to take home. It opens with three classic soups: chicken soup, tomato soup and shark-fin soup, each at the same modest price. The next block lists starters and side dishes, from kroepoek and mini spring rolls to fried banana, satay skewers, peanut sauce, spicy sauce, pickled vegetables and crunchy fried dumplings.

Rice and noodle dishes take up a large part of the page. Fried rice and fried noodles with meat and egg form the base. From there, guests can move up to “special” versions that add satay and a quarter chicken, or they can choose toppings of sliced chicken fillet, sliced pork tenderloin or Chinese prawns. A separate line of “miefang” dishes uses thin rice noodles instead of the usual nasi or bami. These versions are slightly more expensive, which matches the printed note that any switch from plain rice to nasi, bami or miefang comes with a small extra charge.

Meat sections show how the menu is organised around sauces. Pork dishes include grilled and roasted versions in sweet-and-sour, soy, curry, peanut, sambal, mushroom and pineapple sauces. Names such as Babi Pangang and Koe Loe Yoek appear beside these descriptions, familiar to many Dutch diners. Chicken dishes repeat this pattern with chicken fillet in those same sauces, plus a richer plate of Peking duck with spicy sauce. Prawn dishes follow again, this time with breaded prawns and prawns in curry, spicy, mushroom, sambal and roedjak sauces, as well as a special with Chinese mushrooms.

There is space too for Indonesian plates such as Gado Gado and Daging Roedjak, and for beef tenderloin prepared with mushrooms, curry, spicy sauce or Chinese mushrooms. Vegetarians are not left out: mixed vegetable stir-fry, a rich dish with wild mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn, peppers and bamboo shoots, and a soft vegetable omelette offer meat-free routes through the same flavour world.

House specials, sushi and shared feasts

Toward the end of the menu, Gooday gives pride of place to its “specials of the house”. Names such as Gon Bao, Yu Siang, Taosi and Hao You mark different families of sauces. In one column, chicken, pork, beef, prawns and fish fillet are combined with nuts in a spicy brown sauce. In another, the same meats appear with ginger and a mild garlic kick. A third set uses black-bean sauce, and a fourth shines with oyster sauce. Each line pairs a clear description in Dutch with a foreign-sounding name that regulars recognise.

The printed list also points to a separate sushi takeaway menu, with fixed boxes of twelve, twenty, thirty or sixty pieces. These sets need to be ordered ahead of time, and they often sit beside the hot dishes in delivery bags, a sign of how sushi has joined the old classics in modern Dutch-Chinese restaurants.

For people who do not want to choose item by item, Gooday offers shared menus. One of them, called “Gooday Fang Special”, is designed for two people and brings together mini spring rolls, Babi Pangang, egg dish, satay and a choice of extra main plates. Two rice tables go even further. One joins Chinese and Indonesian favourites in a long list of dishes per person from four guests upward. Another, called simply “Chinese rice table”, covers a similar spread from two guests. These sets turn a normal evening into a small celebration and help guests taste many flavours in one go.

Stamps, QR codes and a small Dutch lesson

Alongside the food, Gooday uses a paper loyalty card. The card has twelve empty boxes for stamps and a column of short rules. One stamp is given for every fixed amount spent on dine-in meals and for every smaller amount on takeaway. A full card gives a ten percent discount on the next visit. Only one card can be used at a time, and the discount does not apply on public holidays or together with other offers. On the card in the photograph, two red stamps already sit in the first row, proof of repeat visits.

Digital tools sit next to this old-fashioned loyalty system. Flyers and the takeaway menu carry square QR codes. When scanned with a phone, these open the online ordering page where guests can pick dishes, add notes, choose delivery or collection and pay through iDEAL, the standard Dutch online banking system. The restaurant’s main website and its shorter WordPress page show the same mix of information: buffet details, reservation phone numbers, and links for ordering food at home.

A tiny language lesson hides in the printed Dutch text. The words “meeneem prijslijst” literally mean “takeaway price list”. “Spelregels” are “rules of the game” and sit above the loyalty card instructions. “Rijsttafel” is “rice table”, the big shared meal inspired by colonial-era Indonesian feasts that was later adapted for Dutch households. For many Dutch readers, these words feel everyday and cosy, but for visitors they also offer a quick way into local food culture.

Gooday in the story of Chinese–Indonesian food

Gooday does not stand alone. Across the Netherlands, Chinese–Indonesian restaurants have a long history. The first Chinese eateries opened around the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the 1920s. After the Second World War and the end of Dutch rule in Indonesia, many people with ties to the former colony arrived in the Netherlands and brought their food traditions with them. Over time, cooks combined Chinese techniques with Indonesian flavours and with Dutch tastes. Dishes such as Babi Pangang, Foe Yong Hai, Tjap Tjoi, nasi and bami goreng became standard on menus and in Dutch homes.

Researchers, museums and heritage foundations now describe this mixed cuisine as a core part of everyday Dutch life. The Dutch intangible heritage list includes Chinese–Indonesian restaurant culture as an example of living heritage. A television programme from local broadcaster Omroep Tilburg, available on YouTube under the title “Chinees-Indische restaurant-cultuur als immaterieel erfgoed”, follows former restaurant owners and guests and shows how important these places are for memories of family meals and weekend treats. The video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cAlnxaMYSg.

In that wider context, Gooday’s menu reads like a textbook. It combines old classics such as Babi Pangang and Foe Yong Hai with newer ideas like all-you-can-eat buffets and sushi. Reviews on regional tourism sites and travel platforms praise the wide choice, friendly staff and clean buffet lines. Commenters highlight the wok and grill corners, the option to pick ingredients and watch them being cooked, and the feeling of getting good value for a relaxed night out.

As of November 2025, price levels at Gooday are a little higher than they were a few years ago, especially for extras such as swapping plain rice for noodles or miefang. That change mirrors wider food and energy costs in the country, yet the restaurant still positions itself as a place where families can celebrate birthdays, meet up with grandparents or enjoy a simple Saturday evening without cooking at home.

Conclusions

A living snapshot of Dutch food culture

Gooday in Appingedam shows how a single restaurant can capture a much larger story. Its 2025 takeaway list, loyalty card and online ordering tools come together as a clear picture of Chinese–Indonesian food in the Netherlands today. The dishes mix Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch influences. The service blends buffet ritual with modern delivery habits. Paper stamps live next to QR codes and banking apps.

The restaurant is part of a national chain of memories: family trips to “the Chinese”, plastic bags filled with warm boxes on a rainy night, birthday meals built around rice tables and sizzling plates. At the same time, it keeps adapting, adding sushi, digital payments and new house specials.

Looking at Gooday in this way makes it more than a place to eat. It becomes a small piece of living heritage, one that connects a quiet street in Appingedam with a century of migration, taste and shared meals across the Netherlands.

Selected References

[1] Restaurant Gooday official ordering and menu site: https://www.restaurant-gooday.nl/

[2] Restaurant Gooday WordPress information page with opening hours and reservation number: https://restaurantgooday.wordpress.com/

[3] Visit Groningen profile of Gooday as an all-inclusive restaurant in Appingedam: https://www.visitgroningen.nl/en/locations/1126543849/gooday

[4] Dutch intangible heritage list entry on Chinese–Indonesian restaurant culture: https://www.immaterieelerfgoed.nl/en/ChineesIndischeRestaurantcultuur

[5] Public history article on the development of the takeaway Chinese restaurant in the Netherlands: https://publichistory.humanities.uva.nl/blog/how-the-afhaalchinees-conquered-the-netherlands-from-authentic-cuisine-to-dutchification-of-chinese-indonesian-dishes/

[6] Museum article on Chinese food and migration in the Netherlands: https://amsterdam.wereldmuseum.nl/en/collection-stories/how-chinese-is-chinese-food

[7] Historical overview of Chinese restaurants in the Netherlands from Rotterdam’s Chinatown foundation: https://rotterdamchinatown.nl/?page_id=2

[8] Article on how Chinese food won a place in Dutch weekend life: https://dutchsino.com/how-chinese-food-conquered-the-hearts-of-rotterdam-and-the-whole-of-the-netherlands/

[9] Television episode on Chinese–Indonesian restaurant culture as intangible heritage, produced by Omroep Tilburg, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cAlnxaMYSg

Appendix

Babi Pangang
A grilled or roasted pork dish in a sweet-and-sour sauce that became a classic of Dutch Chinese–Indonesian menus, often served with white rice or fried rice.

Bami
Fried wheat or egg noodles, usually mixed with small pieces of meat and vegetables, and used as a base for many Chinese–Indonesian takeaway dishes.

Chinese–Indonesian restaurant
A type of restaurant common in the Netherlands that mixes Chinese cooking methods with Indonesian dishes and Dutch tastes, serving items such as nasi goreng, bami goreng and satay.

Foe Yong Hai
An egg dish similar to an omelette, often filled with vegetables, meat or prawns and covered with a sweet tomato-based sauce, widely known in Dutch Chinese restaurants.

Gooday
An all-inclusive Chinese–Indonesian restaurant and takeaway in Appingedam, known for its buffet, wok counter, sushi, 2025 takeaway menu and loyalty stamp card.

iDEAL
A Dutch online payment system that lets customers pay for web orders directly through their own bank accounts, widely used for takeaway and delivery services.

Miefang
Thin rice noodles, fried with vegetables and meat or fish, used at Gooday as a slightly more expensive alternative to standard rice or bami.

Nasi
Fried rice, usually mixed with small pieces of meat, egg and vegetables, and one of the main bases for Chinese–Indonesian takeaway plates in the Netherlands.

QR code
A square, two-dimensional barcode that can be scanned with a phone to open a website or app, used on Gooday flyers and menus to link directly to the ordering page.

Rijsttafel
A shared meal made of many small dishes served with rice, adapted from colonial-era Indonesian feasts and now a popular way for groups to eat together in Dutch Chinese–Indonesian restaurants.

Tjap Tjoi
A stir-fried vegetable dish, often with a light sauce and sometimes with added meat, which appears on many Dutch Chinese–Indonesian menus as a comforting, mild option.

Key Takeaways

Simple focus

This article explains how one worker learns to prepare and wear a full-body safety harness at home, using a bed as a quiet, flat work surface instead of a noisy job site.

Why it matters

Falls from height remain a major cause of serious injury, and even the best harness cannot help if it is twisted, badly adjusted, or slipping out of place.

A gentle method

By laying the harness on the bed, smoothing every strap, and matching one side to the other, the worker turns a confusing bundle of webbing into a clear, calm routine that is easy to repeat.

Story & Details

Meeting the harness for the first time

A modern full-body safety harness is not a simple object. It arrives with bright straps, heavy buckles, warning labels, and a metal attachment point that is meant to stop a fall in a split second. By late 2025, many workers in construction, maintenance, and logistics are familiar with this kind of gear, yet the first contact often feels the same: the harness looks like a knot waiting to happen.

One worker decides that this time things will be different. The goal is very clear. The harness should be ready before it ever touches the body. That means no twists, no mystery loops, and no guessing about which strap goes where. The routine should be so simple that a child could follow it. To reach that goal, the worker looks for help that can switch between longer explanations and very short, plain phrases, and chooses to lean on that flexibility.

Turning the bed into a safe training ground

The scene is not a work site. It is a bedroom. The harness is placed on a bed, not on a bench in a workshop. The head of the bed stands in for the upper body, and the foot of the bed stands in for the legs. This small shift matters. The bed is soft, quiet, and still. Nothing rolls away.

The worker spreads the harness out. Orange upper straps fan out toward the pillows. Black leg loops drop toward the foot end. The metal centre piece sits somewhere in the middle. At first, the picture looks messy. One shoulder strap arches strangely. Another shows its stitched edge in the wrong place. One leg loop reaches further than the other.

Instead of rushing, the worker slows down. Every strap is smoothed by hand. When a strap shows a twist, it is gently rotated between the fingers until it lies flat, like the strap of a backpack pressed against a table. The centre of the harness is nudged until it really feels like the middle, with the same amount of webbing flowing out to each side. Little by little, the mass of fabric begins to look like a simple figure on the bed: two arms, two legs, one calm heart at the centre.

A tiny Dutch language moment

The bed itself becomes a teaching tool. In Dutch homes, people often talk about the “head end” and “foot end” of a bed, and the language reflects that habit with words for each side. That habit slips into this safety ritual in a gentle way.

Instead of saying “left strap” or “right strap”, the worker thinks “head end strap” and “foot end strap”. The head end is where the pillows rest; the foot end is where the toes point. This makes directions stable. No matter where someone stands in the room, the head end of the bed is always the same place, and the foot end is always the other side. The harness starts to feel less like a puzzle and more like familiar bedding that just happens to carry a lot of responsibility.

Making both sides match

Once the straps lie flat, the next aim is balance. The worker compares the upper straps that would sit on the shoulders. If one reaches further toward the edge of the bed, its buckle is tightened a little. If it sits too high, the opposite strap is adjusted instead, until both ends land at the same point. The eye judges the result in one quick glance: now the two “arms” seem to be the same length.

The leg loops follow the same pattern. Both buckles are brought side by side near the foot of the bed. When one hangs lower than the other, the longer strap is shortened or the shorter one is loosened, until the buckles reach the same imaginary line on the blanket. In the end, the leg loops form a clean V shape pointing to the foot end, with both tips level.

This gentle focus on symmetry matches the spirit of formal safety guidance. Official manuals and standards explain that the attachment point on the back must sit roughly between the shoulder blades, that leg straps should be snug but not tight, and that the entire system should spread the force of a fall across the strongest parts of the body rather than the neck or soft tissue.[1][2][3][4] The home routine does not replace those rules. It makes them easier to reach.

Learning from public safety guidance

Behind the calm bedroom scene lies a large body of public advice. Technical documents from safety agencies describe personal fall protection systems and set clear rules for how harnesses should be worn. One widely used standard explains that, in most cases, the main attachment point on a full-body harness should be in the middle of the back, near shoulder level, and that chest-level attachment is only acceptable when the free-fall distance is very short.[1] Industry groups add plain-language tips: choose a harness in the right size, check it before every use, and make sure someone shows how to adjust it properly.[2][4]

In Europe, guidance on work at height stresses the need for suitable equipment, regular inspection, and careful planning of every task that involves a fall risk.[3] It highlights that a harness is just one part of a wider system that includes anchor points, lifelines, and rescue planning. The same message appears in more practical channels. An online guide from a safety training platform uses clear photos to show how to hold a harness by the back ring, shake out the straps, and spot any hidden twists before putting it on.[4] A short training video from a regional safety authority walks viewers through the full routine: inspection, donning, adjustment, and final checks, all shown on a live model.[5]

These public materials feed into the worker’s private ritual. They offer the technical backbone. The bed offers comfort and space to think.

From bed to body

Once the harness looks neat on the bed, the moment arrives to try it on. The worker lifts it by the centre. The upper straps hang down like the shoulder straps of a coat. The leg loops drop like the legs of a pair of shorts. Because the pre-work on the bed is complete, there is no fight with tangled webbing now.

The feet step into the leg loops. The harness slides up until the leg straps sit under the hips. The upper part swings into place like a backpack. One arm goes through each opening. The buckles are closed. A few gentle pulls on the adjusters bring the straps close to the body, but not so tight that they bite into the skin.

In the mirror, the picture is simple. The back attachment point sits in a reasonable position between the shoulders, echoing what the official manuals describe.[1] Both shoulder straps rise at similar angles. Both leg loops follow similar lines. A couple of light hops on the spot show that nothing slips from the shoulders or gapes at the legs. The harness now feels less like a stranger and more like a firm hug.

A quiet role for digital help

The whole journey is supported by digital help in the background. The worker asks for explanations that are as easy as “take this strap and pull it three times”, or as detailed as “where should the back ring sit in relation to the shoulders”. The helper can answer slowly, with extra reasoning, or quickly, with simple sentences, depending on what the worker needs in that moment.

This mix of expert information and warm, home-based practice shows how safety knowledge can move from official documents to everyday life. Public standards define the limits. The bedroom bed, the calm comparison of one side to the other, and the small Dutch-language reminder about head and foot ends of the bed give those standards a human shape.

Conclusions

A full-body safety harness is designed for extreme moments, but most of its life is spent in very ordinary places: a storage room, the back of a van, or the end of a bed. Treating it with patience in those quiet spaces can make a real difference when it finally has to do its job.

By laying the harness on a bed, smoothing each strap, and matching one side to the other, a worker turns a confusing object into a familiar routine. Public rules and training guides explain what “correct” looks like. A simple home ritual makes that picture easy to reach and remember.

In the end, the story is less about fear of falling and more about gaining calm control. When a harness feels known and trusted, stepping up to the edge of height becomes a little less frightening, and the chances that the gear will work as intended become a lot better.

Selected References

[1] Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) – Section V: Chapter 4 (Fall Protection).” Guidance on fall protection systems, including simple steps for fitting a full-body harness. https://www.osha.gov/otm/section-5-construction-operations/chapter-4

[2] International Safety Equipment Association. “Fall Protection: Use and Selection Guide.” Practical guidance for selection, use, maintenance, and inspection of personal fall protection equipment. https://safetyequipment.org/fall-protection-use-and-selection-guide/

[3] European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. “Fall arrest systems – OSHwiki.” Overview of personal fall protection systems, their design, and use in European practice. https://oshwiki.osha.europa.eu/en/themes/fall-arrest-systems

[4] FallTech. “The Complete Guide to Full-Body Safety Harnesses.” Updated June 2025 article covering parts, fit, inspection, and regulatory context for full-body harnesses. https://www.falltech.com/blog/fall-protection-guides-resources/the-complete-guide-to-full-body-harnesses

[5] Oregon Occupational Safety & Health. “Fall Protection: How To Properly Put On A Harness.” Public training video on donning and adjusting a fall-arrest harness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2esUelWX8

Appendix

Bed orientation: The idea of using the head end and foot end of a bed as fixed points to describe where parts of the harness lie, which keeps instructions clear and easy to follow in a small room.

Digital helper: A software-based assistant that can explain topics in different styles, from very simple to more detailed, and that helps turn official safety advice into plain, everyday language.

Dutch bed words: Everyday Dutch terms for the head and foot ends of a bed that reflect how people naturally talk about where pillows and feet belong, and that help anchor the harness routine in familiar home language.

Full-body safety harness: A piece of personal protective equipment made of webbing and metal hardware that supports the body at the shoulders, thighs, and pelvis and connects to an anchor to arrest a fall.

Leg loops: The lower straps of a full-body harness that encircle the upper legs, usually forming a V shape, and that help spread the force of a fall across the thighs and pelvis.

Personal fall protection system: A combination of harness, connectors, and anchorage that is designed to stop a person safely during a fall or to prevent them from reaching a point where a fall can occur.

Strap symmetry: The condition in which the straps on one side of the harness are as flat, straight, and long as the straps on the other side, so that the harness hangs evenly and feels balanced when worn.

Key Takeaways

What is happening in the Netherlands now

• Since late November 2025, Dutch households have begun receiving a purple booklet called “Prepare for an emergency” from the national “Denk Vooruit” campaign.
• The booklet explains how people can cope at home for the first seventy-two hours of a major disruption, such as a long power cut, flood, cyberattack, or other crisis.
• Three simple ideas run through every page: build a small emergency kit, make a basic plan with the people you live with, and talk with neighbours so no one is left alone.
• Clear pointers show where to find reliable information during a crisis, including the NL-Alert phone messages and the national website Nederland Veilig.

Story & Details

A booklet for every letterbox

In November 2025 the Dutch government started sending an information booklet to around eight and a half million homes. The campaign is called “Denk Vooruit”, which means “Think Ahead”. The small package looks ordinary at first: a large white envelope with a government logo, addressed simply to “the residents” of each address. Inside is a glossy purple booklet, an orange step-by-step guide, and a separate card for a household emergency plan.

The message is calm and direct. Big events may feel far away, but a large power cut, heavy storms, flooding after days of rain, or a digital attack can quickly disrupt daily life. Lights and heating can fail. Shops and cash machines can close. Trains and trams can stop running. Internet and mobile networks can slow down or go silent. The booklet stresses that this does not mean help will never come. It does mean that, for the first three days, people may need to look after themselves and each other more than they expect.

Three days, three simple steps

The structure is easy to follow: “put together your emergency kit, make an emergency plan, talk with each other and help each other out.” The orange insert breaks each idea into very small actions. It suggests walking through the home and writing down what is already there. Many people already own some of the recommended items: a torch, blankets, candles, a battery radio, soap and toothpaste. The booklet then invites households to add a few missing things over time.

Water comes first. The guide advises keeping bottles of drinking water ready, with a simple rule of thumb: three litres per person per day for the first three days. Shelf-stable food comes next: tinned vegetables, pulses, or meat, dried fruit and nuts, and any special food for babies or pets. Hygiene items are simple but important: toilet paper, wet wipes, sanitary products, disinfecting gel, toothbrush and toothpaste. Warmth matters too, especially in winter, so the list includes extra blankets and comfortable clothes.

Light and power are treated as their own topic. The booklet recommends at least one working flashlight with spare batteries, plus candles and matches or a lighter. It also mentions a charged power bank so at least one phone in the home can stay on for as long as possible. A battery-powered or wind-up radio is highlighted as a key way to follow news even if internet and television stop working.

Money and documents receive a full section. The guide explains that card payments and cash machines may be offline during a serious outage, so it advises keeping a small amount of banknotes ready for three days, as well as copies of identity documents and a simple paper list of important phone numbers. A printed map of the local area is also suggested, in case map apps are not available.

Finally, there is a short part on tools and safety: a first-aid kit with clear instructions, a whistle to attract attention, basic tools such as a hammer and tape, and spare keys for house and car stored in a safe place.

The household plan card

Next to the checklist sits a double-sided card labelled as an emergency plan. Families and housemates can fill it in together. One side lists who lives in the home, including pets and any people who may need extra help, for example children, older relatives, or anyone with special medication. The next part asks for a shared meeting place in case phones do not work, along with the address of that spot. This could be a trusted neighbour, a community centre, or another clear point in the neighbourhood.

The other side focuses on communication. There are lines for one contact person nearby and one further away who can be reached if family members cannot find each other. The card also has space to write down the local emergency radio frequency, a website for the regional safety authority, and the main phone numbers for doctor, out-of-hours medical service, and municipality. The idea is very simple: if the lights go out and the mobile signal disappears, people can still open a drawer and find the most important information on paper.

Where real information will appear

Several pages explain how people will be warned and kept informed when something serious happens. One part describes NL-Alert, the system that sends loud text messages to mobile phones in a danger zone. The booklet explains that NL-Alert messages say what is going on and what to do, for example closing windows during a large fire or avoiding a certain area.

The national website Nederland Veilig is introduced as the central place for up-to-date information during a major incident. It is described as a site that can handle many visitors, where authorities can explain what has happened and what steps people should take to stay safe. The booklet also reminds readers of the familiar outdoor siren. If the siren sounds at any time other than the regular monthly test at midday on the first Monday of the month, people are told to go indoors, close windows and doors, and listen to the radio or watch the news.

Emergency numbers are printed clearly. The same page reminds readers when to use 112 for life-threatening situations, and when to use the non-emergency police number or the general information line of the national government. Contact options include telephone and WhatsApp, with opening hours on working days.

Talking with neighbours and a tiny Dutch lesson

The campaign does not stop at personal checklists. A whole chapter encourages people to speak with neighbours, friends, and relatives about how they would cope together. It suggests asking simple questions: who might need extra help in the building or on the street, who already has a battery radio, and who has trouble reading complex information. The tone is gentle and inclusive, with examples of families sharing water and blankets, or neighbours checking in on each other during the second night of a long power cut.

Along the way, the booklet introduces a few Dutch words that are likely to appear in local news. A “noodpakket” is an emergency kit, the basic box of things to keep at home. A “noodplan” is the household emergency plan card. The term “veiligheidsregio” refers to the public safety region that coordinates fire, police, medical services, and public warnings. The campaign shows that learning this small vocabulary can make official advice easier to understand when it really matters.

Conclusions

A small booklet with a large ambition

The purple “Denk Vooruit” booklet arriving in letterboxes across the Netherlands at the end of 2025 has a simple aim: to make three days of self-reliance feel possible for everyone. It avoids technical language and asks for small, concrete actions that most households can spread over time. The message is not that disaster is around the corner, but that a little preparation now can reduce stress when something unexpected does happen.

The pages invite people to look around their own homes, to write down a few key details, and to speak with neighbours long before sirens or alerts sound. In a country that usually enjoys steady power, clean water, and fast networks, the booklet is a reminder that resilience is built in quiet moments at the kitchen table, long before any crisis appears on the horizon.

Selected References

1. Denk Vooruit – Information booklet in Dutch, “Bereid je voor op een noodsituatie”, Netherlands government campaign site: https://www.denkvooruit.nl/informatieboekje
2. Denk Vooruit – Information booklet in English, “Prepare for an emergency situation”: https://english.denkvooruit.nl/information-booklet
3. Denk Vooruit – Campaign home page with background on the national preparedness effort: https://english.denkvooruit.nl/
4. Netherlands government news release on the launch of the information booklet and distribution to 8.5 million households: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/11/17/minister-van-oosten-presenteert-informatieboekje-bereid-je-voor-op-een-noodsituatie
5. Netherlands government explanation of the wider “Denk Vooruit” campaign and its three main steps: https://www.nctv.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/11/03/overheid-start-campagne-denk-vooruit-voorbereiden-op-noodsituatie-steeds-belangrijker
6. NL-Alert – official information site on the national mobile warning system: https://www.nl-alert.nl/
7. Nederland Veilig – national crisis information portal used during large incidents: https://www.nederlandveilig.nl/
8. Ministry of Justice and Security information page on preventing crises and the role of NL-Alert and Nederland Veilig: https://www.government.nl/topics/counterterrorism-and-national-security/preventing-crises-and-disasters
9. YouTube – short explanatory video about NL-Alert from a Dutch safety region authority: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT79GUu0keA

Appendix

Denk Vooruit
Denk Vooruit is the national campaign coordinated by the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism to help people in the Netherlands prepare for emergencies with simple, practical steps.

Emergency kit
An emergency kit is a small collection of items kept at home so that a household can manage for at least three days during a disruption, including water, food, hygiene products, light, power, simple tools, and a first-aid box.

Emergency plan
An emergency plan is a short written agreement between the people who share a home, listing who lives there, who needs extra help, key contacts, a meeting place, and the main sources of information during a crisis.

NL-Alert
NL-Alert is the national mobile phone warning system that sends loud text messages to people in a danger zone, explaining what is happening and what actions to take to stay safe.

National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism
The National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism, known in Dutch as NCTV, is the government body that guards national security, tracks major threats, and coordinates campaigns such as Denk Vooruit.

Nederland Veilig
Nederland Veilig is the official Dutch crisis information website that can be activated during large incidents to give clear, central guidance to the public about what is happening and what to do.

Rampenradio
Rampenradio is the term used for regional public radio stations that broadcast official instructions and updates during emergencies, including when other communication channels are disrupted.

Safety region
A safety region, or veiligheidsregio, is a regional public authority that coordinates emergency services such as fire brigade, police, and medical response, and decides how and where warnings like NL-Alert are sent.

Seventy-two hour preparedness
Seventy-two hour preparedness is the idea that every household should be able to cope on its own for the first three days of a major disruption, giving authorities time to organise wider help.

Siren test
A siren test is the regular monthly sounding of the outdoor warning sirens at midday on the first Monday of the month, used to check that the system works so that people will hear it if a real emergency occurs.

1) “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Is it grammatically incorrect?

It is grammatically correct, but it uses an old style of English.

• “within” = inside yourself.
• “without” here does NOT mean “without something”; it is an old meaning: “outside yourself”.

So in modern simple English, it means:
“Peace comes from inside you. Do not look for it outside yourself.”

The grammar is okay, only the word “without” is old-fashioned in this sense.

2) Underground Railroad – What is it?

The Underground Railroad was NOT a real train and NOT underground.

It was:

• a secret network of routes, safe houses, and people
• mainly in the United States in the 18th and 19th century
• used by enslaved African Americans to escape from slavery in the South
• helping them reach free states in the North or Canada, where they could be more safe from slave catchers.

People who helped were called “conductors” or “station masters”, and the hiding places were “stations”. The whole system was called a “railroad” as a metaphor, because it helped people travel long distances to freedom.

3) “clash” – meaning

“Clash” is a noun and a verb.

• As a verb: “to clash” = to come into strong conflict, to fight, to disagree in a hard way.
  Example: “Their ideas clash” = their ideas strongly disagree.
• As a noun: “a clash” = a strong conflict or fight between things, ideas, or people.

In absurdism, we say there is a “clash” between:

• our deep wish for clear meaning
• and the silent, indifferent universe.

4) “leap” – meaning

“Leap” can be literal or metaphorical.

• Literal: “to leap” = to jump with your body, often a big or quick jump.
• Metaphorical: “to leap” = to move quickly from one idea or belief to another, often without enough thinking.

When philosophy talks about a “leap of faith,” it usually means:

• a big jump into belief,
• without full logical proof,
• trusting something strongly even if we cannot fully prove it.

5) Daniel Kahneman – expanded explanation of cause of death

Daniel Kahneman (author of Thinking, Fast and Slow) died on 27 March 2024, at age 90, in Nunningen, Switzerland.

Later reports explained that:

• He chose assisted dying with a Swiss organization called Pegasos.
• This is legal in Switzerland under certain conditions.
• He had seen his first wife, Anne Treisman, suffer from dementia, and he did not want to go through a long similar decline.
• Public reports say that he was already experiencing cognitive decline (problems with thinking and memory), and he decided, in advance and with planning, to end his life in a controlled, dignified way, with medical help.

So a clearer line is:

“Cause of death / Health: Chose legal assisted dying in Switzerland, using the Pegasos organization, after starting to experience cognitive decline and not wanting a long period of dementia.”

6) “individual psychology” – and reminder about psychological lines

Here is a clear description.

Individual psychology (psychological line):

• Founder: Alfred Adler.
• Focus: how people feel about themselves and about others, and how they try to belong.
• Key ideas:
• Many people feel “inferior” (small, not good enough). This feeling can push them to grow, but can also lead to unhealthy behaviour if they try to become “superior”.
• Humans are social; we are healthiest when we have social interest: caring for others, contributing to the community, feeling we belong.
• Problems such as anxiety, anger, or controlling behaviour may come from a person’s style of life, formed early in childhood, including their beliefs like “I must be perfect” or “I must never be weak”.

In individual psychology, therapy often helps people:

• understand their early beliefs and “life style”
• reduce unhealthy striving for power or superiority
• increase social interest: cooperation, empathy, and contribution.

7) Quick recap of some psychological lines

Existential therapy (psychological line):

• Focuses on freedom, responsibility, meaning, loneliness, and death.
• Helps people face the basic facts of life honestly and create a life that feels authentic and meaningful, even with pain.

Logotherapy (psychological line – Viktor Frankl):

• A type of existential therapy that puts meaning at the center.
• Helps people find a “why” to live, even in very hard times, so they can face suffering with dignity.

Analytic psychology (psychological line – Carl Jung):

• Talks about the personal unconscious and collective unconscious (shared universal patterns called archetypes).
• Uses dreams, myths, symbols, and art.
• Main goal: individuation – becoming a more whole, balanced person by integrating different parts of the self.

Feminist psychology (psychological line):

• Studies how gender, power, and social roles shape thoughts and feelings.
• Says old theories often ignored women and other marginalized groups.
• Connects personal problems (for example low self-worth, violence) with social structures (sexism, inequality).

Developmental psychology (psychological line):

• Studies how we change from birth to old age in thinking, emotion, language, and relationships.
• Looks at stages in life (baby, child, teenager, adult, older adult) and how needs and skills change.

Learning theory (psychological line):

• Studies how learning happens.
• Behavioural learning: through rewards, punishments, and repetition.
• Social learning: through observing others and copying models.
• Cognitive learning: through thinking, memory, and attention.

8) Language questions

a) “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”

• Not incorrect.
• Just old-style English. In modern simple language:
  “Peace comes from inside you. Do not look for it outside yourself.”

b) “Underground Railroad”

• A secret network of routes, safe houses, and helpers in the United States that helped enslaved African Americans escape from slavery to free states and Canada.

c) “clash”

• A strong conflict, as a verb or noun (“their ideas clash” = they strongly conflict).

d) “leap”

• A big jump, physically or in ideas (for example, “a leap of faith” = a big jump into belief, without full proof).

Recommended YouTube video: The psychology of self-motivation – TEDx Talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sxpKhIbr0E

91. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
    Confucius
    Born: about 28 September 551 BCE, Lu state (in today’s China)
    Died: 479 BCE
    Age at death: about 72 years
    Main role: Teacher and philosopher
    Cause of death / Health: Traditional accounts say he died of old age (natural causes).
92. “Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”
    Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Younger)
    Born: about 4 BCE, Corduba, Roman Hispania (today Córdoba, Spain)
    Died: 65 CE
    Age at death: about 68 years
    Main role: Stoic philosopher, writer, political advisor
    Cause of death / Health: Forced to take his own life on the orders of Emperor Nero, after being accused of taking part in a plot against him.
93. “It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
    Epictetus
    Born: about 55 CE, Hierapolis, Phrygia (in today’s Turkey)
    Died: about 135 CE
    Age at death: about 80 years
    Main role: Stoic philosopher and teacher
    Cause of death / Health: Exact cause unknown; ancient sources suggest he died of natural causes at an old age.
94. “The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
    Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī
    Born: 30 September 1207, Balkh (in today’s Afghanistan or possibly Tajikistan)
    Died: 17 December 1273
    Age at death: about 66 years
    Main role: Poet and spiritual teacher
    Cause of death / Health: Historical sources say he died after an illness, likely from natural causes.
95. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
    Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha, traditional dating)
    Born: about 563 BCE, Lumbini (in today’s Nepal)
    Died: about 483 BCE, Kushinagar (in today’s India)
    Age at death: about 80 years
    Main role: Religious teacher, founder of Buddhism
    Cause of death / Health: Traditional texts say he became ill after a meal and died from natural causes linked to old age and sickness.
96. “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
    William James
    Born: 11 January 1842, New York City, United States
    Died: 26 August 1910
    Age at death: 68 years
    Main role: Philosopher and psychologist
    Cause of death / Health: Died from heart problems (heart disease) after a long illness.
97. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer.”
    Harriet Tubman
    Born: about March 1822, Dorchester County, Maryland, United States (exact date unknown)
    Died: 10 March 1913
    Age at death: about 90–91 years (birth date uncertain)
    Main role: Abolitionist, freedom fighter, guide on the Underground Railroad
    Cause of death / Health: Died of pneumonia and complications of old age.
98. “It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference.”
    Wangari Maathai
    Born: 1 April 1940, near Nyeri, Kenya
    Died: 25 September 2011
    Age at death: 71 years
    Main role: Environmental activist, founder of the Green Belt Movement
    Cause of death / Health: Died from complications of ovarian cancer.
99. “I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves.”
    Mary Wollstonecraft
    Born: 27 April 1759, London, England
    Died: 10 September 1797
    Age at death: 38 years
    Main role: Writer and early feminist thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died from infection (puerperal fever) shortly after giving birth.
100. “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”
     Jonas Salk
     Born: 28 October 1914, New York City, United States
     Died: 23 June 1995
     Age at death: 80 years
     Main role: Medical researcher, developer of the first successful polio vaccine
     Cause of death / Health: Died from heart failure.

---

Short answers

1) What is a “watchmaker”?
A watchmaker is a person who makes, designs, or repairs watches and sometimes clocks. It is a skilled craft job that needs very careful, precise work.

2) What is a “playwright”?
A playwright is a person who writes plays for the theatre. They create the story, the dialogue, and the characters that actors perform on stage.

3) What is a “philologist”?
A philologist is a scholar who studies language in written texts. They look at how languages change over time, how old manuscripts are written, and what words meant in the past.

4) Edith Eger’s psychology
Edith Eger is a clinical psychologist and Holocaust survivor. She writes and speaks a lot about trauma, freedom, and choice.

Very simple picture of her approach:

• She believes we cannot change the past, but we can change how we relate to it.
• She says we always have some choice in how we answer pain, even in very hard situations.
• She helps people move from “victim” (something was done to me) to “survivor” (I am choosing how I live now).
• She often uses ideas close to existential therapy and logotherapy.

Existential therapy (psychological line):
This is a type of therapy that focuses on big questions of life: death, freedom, meaning, loneliness. It says:

• We are free and also responsible for our choices.
• Life does not give us a ready-made meaning; we must create our own meaning.
• Suffering is part of life, but we can respond to it in a way that fits our values.

Logotherapy (psychological line, Viktor Frankl):
Logotherapy is a kind of existential therapy that puts meaning in the center. It says:

• People can bear great pain if they find a “why” (a reason) to live.
• Therapists help people discover meaning in work, in love, and in how they face suffering.

Edith Eger uses these ideas to say: “You cannot change what happened. But you can decide what you do now.”

5) The philosophy of absurdism (very simple)
Absurdism is a philosophy linked especially to Albert Camus. In simple words:

• Humans deeply want life to have clear meaning and order.
• The universe seems silent and indifferent; it does not give us a clear answer.
• The clash between our need for meaning and the silent world is called the absurd.

Camus says we have three possible answers:

1. Give up on life (suicide) – he says this is not the right answer.
2. Close our eyes and believe some story without question (a “leap of faith” that hides the tension).
3. Stay with the absurd and still live, create, love, and fight for justice anyway.

For Camus, the third choice is the healthy one: we accept that life is not simple, but we keep living with courage and honesty.

6) Possible reasons for Primo Levi’s suicide (careful, sensitive topic)
Primo Levi was a writer, a chemist, and a survivor of Auschwitz. In 1987 he died after falling down the stairwell of his apartment building. The coroner in Italy ruled his death a suicide, but some people think it might have been an accident. We cannot know with certainty.

People who believe it was suicide suggest several possible factors:

• He had symptoms of depression in the years before his death.
• He was caring for his very sick mother and mother-in-law, which was heavy and stressful.
• Some writers say he suffered from “survivor guilt” and deep sadness related to the Holocaust, even if he sometimes said his depression was not directly about Auschwitz.

Important point: these are interpretations by biographers and scholars. Levi himself did not leave a clear note explaining his reasons.

7) Analytic psychology
Analytic psychology is the psychological line started by Carl Gustav Jung. Simple description:

• It speaks about the personal unconscious (your own forgotten or pushed-down material) and the collective unconscious (deep patterns shared by humanity, called archetypes).
• It looks at symbols and images from dreams, myths, religion, and art.
• A main goal is individuation: becoming a more whole, balanced person by integrating different parts of yourself (for example, reason and feeling, conscious and unconscious).

8) Individual psychology
Individual psychology is the psychological line created by Alfred Adler. Simple description:

• It says humans often feel small or “less than” (feelings of inferiority). These feelings can push us to grow or to act in unhealthy ways.
• It stresses social interest: we are healthiest when we care about others and feel we belong to our community.
• Problems often come when people try to feel “superior” rather than connected and useful.

9) Feminist psychology
Feminist psychology is a psychological line that:

• Studies how gender roles, power, and social structures affect thoughts, feelings, and mental health.
• Points out that many old theories were built mostly from men’s experience and often ignored women and other marginalized groups.
• Tries to make therapy more equal: the therapist and client work together; the therapist is not a “boss.”
• Connects personal problems with social issues (for example, violence, discrimination, unfair pay).

10) Developmental psychology
Developmental psychology is a psychological line that:

• Studies how people grow and change across life: from baby to child, teenager, adult, and older age.
• Looks at changes in thinking, emotion, language, relationships, and moral values.
• Helps us understand, for example, how children learn to speak, how teenagers build identity, and how aging affects memory.

11) “Learning theorist” and learning theory
A learning theorist is a psychologist or researcher who studies how learning happens.

Learning theory (psychological line) includes different approaches, such as:

• Behavioural theories: say learning is mainly about associations and consequences (reward, punishment, repetition).
• Social learning theory: says we also learn by watching others, not only from direct rewards.
• Cognitive learning theories: say learning also involves attention, memory, and thinking.

A learning theorist might design experiments about how people or animals form habits, how students learn better, or how fear is learned and unlearned.

12) “All real living is meeting.” – what does this mean?
This sentence comes from Martin Buber. In simple words:

• We are most fully alive when we meet other people in a deep, honest way.
• Not “using” them, not just talking about roles and functions, but really seeing them as a full person.
• When two people meet like this, each one is changed a little. Life becomes more real, not just routine.

So “all real living is meeting” means: the quality of your life is strongly shaped by the quality of your relationships and your genuine encounters with others.

13) Edith Eger:

• Edith Eva Eger was born on 29 September 1927 in Košice.
• At that time the city’s political status changed several times (Czechoslovakia, then under Hungarian rule).
• She later moved to the United States, where she became an American psychologist.

14) Short descriptions of some psychological lines (summary)
Here is a compact recap:

• Existential therapy: focuses on freedom, responsibility, meaning, and facing the facts of life (death, limits, loneliness) to build an authentic life.
• Logotherapy: a type of existential therapy that puts “meaning” at the center. People heal by finding purpose even in suffering.
• Analytic psychology: Jung’s school; works with the personal and collective unconscious, archetypes, dreams, and the process of individuation.
• Individual psychology: Adler’s school; looks at feelings of inferiority, the drive to belong, and the importance of social interest.
• Feminist psychology: studies how gender and power affect mental life; wants more equal, socially aware therapy.
• Developmental psychology: studies changes across the lifespan in thinking, feeling, and behaviour.
• Learning theory / learning theorist: studies how learning happens through experience, observation, and cognition.

15) Daniel Kahneman – 10 verified quotes
(All short, from his well-known work on thinking and decision-making.)

1. “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is when you are thinking about it.”
2. “We are prone to overestimate how much we understand about the world and to underestimate the role of chance in events.”
3. “What you see is all there is.”
4. “We can be blind to the obvious, and we are also blind to our blindness.”
5. “Our comforting conviction that the world makes sense rests on a secure foundation: our almost unlimited ability to ignore our ignorance.”
6. “The confidence people have in their beliefs is not a measure of the quality of evidence but of the coherence of the story that the mind has managed to construct.”
7. “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is while you are thinking about it.” (He repeats this idea in different forms.)
8. “A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth.”
9. “It is easier to recognize other people’s mistakes than our own.”
10. “The idea that the future is unpredictable is undermined every day by the ease with which the past is explained.”

16) Daniel Kahneman – biography

“Nothing in life is as important as you think it is when you are thinking about it.”
Daniel Kahneman
Born: 5 March 1934, Tel Aviv, British Mandate of Palestine (later Israel).
Died: 27 March 2024, Nunningen, Switzerland
Age at death: 90 years
Main role: Psychologist and behavioural economist; Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences
Cause of death / Health: Voluntary assisted death in Switzerland after cognitive decline related to dementia, using a legal assisted-dying organization.

17) Daniel Kahneman died in March 2024, at age 90.

His last major book was:

• Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment (2021), written with Olivier Sibony and Cass R. Sunstein.

Reception compared with Thinking, Fast and Slow:

• Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011) became a very famous, widely read book. It is often seen as a modern classic in psychology and behavioural economics, with very strong public and academic reception.
• Noise also received many positive reviews. Critics said it is deep, well-researched, and important for understanding errors in judgment, especially in groups and institutions.
• At the same time, some reviewers said Noise is more technical, long, and less “fun to read” than Thinking, Fast and Slow. It focuses on a more narrow topic (random variability in judgments), so it did not become as popular with the general public.
  In short: respected and valued, but not as loved or famous as Thinking, Fast and Slow.

18) Daniel Kahneman – children and their professions
From public sources:

• With his first wife, Irah (an educational psychologist), he had two children:
• A son, Michael (sometimes also named in sources as Steven Michael), who has studied economics and worked in fields related to economics and finance. He has also written about living with schizophrenia.
• A daughter, Lenore Shoham, who works in technology and life-science businesses, including leadership roles (for example, CEO and strategy positions) in start-up companies.

He also had two stepdaughters from the family of his second wife, the psychologist Anne Treisman.

19) Does Daniel Goleman continue working?
From current public information, Daniel Goleman (author of Emotional Intelligence) is alive and continues to be active as a writer and speaker, although at an older age his level of activity is naturally lower than in the past.

Recommended YouTube video: The Power of Meaning: Crafting A Life That Matters – World Government Summit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bVl4xdPUns

61. “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself.”
    Marcus Aurelius
    Born: 26 April 121, Italy (Roman Empire)
    Died: 17 March 180
    Age: 58 at death
    Main role: Roman emperor, Stoic philosopher
    Cause of death / Health: Died of natural causes, probably illness, while on military campaign.
62. “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”
    Victor Hugo
    Born: 26 February 1802, France
    Died: 22 May 1885
    Age: 83 at death
    Main role: Writer, poet, political thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a stroke and complications of old age.
63. “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
    Leo Tolstoy
    Born: 9 September 1828, Russia
    Died: 20 November 1910
    Age: 82 at death
    Main role: Novelist, moral thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died of pneumonia after falling ill while travelling.
64. “The soul is healed by being with children.”
    Fyodor Dostoevsky
    Born: 11 November 1821, Russia
    Died: 9 February 1881
    Age: 59 at death
    Main role: Novelist, philosopher of human suffering
    Cause of death / Health: Died from complications of lung disease and epilepsy.
65. “Work is love made visible.”
    Kahlil Gibran
    Born: 6 January 1883, Lebanon (then Ottoman Empire)
    Died: 10 April 1931
    Age: 48 at death
    Main role: Poet, artist, philosopher
    Cause of death / Health: Died from cirrhosis of the liver and possible tuberculosis.
66. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”
    Albert Schweitzer
    Born: 14 January 1875, Alsace (then German Empire, now France)
    Died: 4 September 1965
    Age: 90 at death
    Main role: Physician, theologian, humanitarian
    Cause of death / Health: Died of natural causes in Lambaréné, Gabon, in old age.
67. “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
    Corrie ten Boom
    Born: 15 April 1892, Netherlands
    Died: 15 April 1983
    Age: 91 at death
    Main role: Watchmaker, rescuer of Jews, Christian writer
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a series of strokes, on her 91st birthday.
68. “We can’t choose to vanish the dark, but we can choose to kindle the light.”
    Edith Eger
    Born: 29 September 1927, Czechoslovakia (today Slovakia)
    Alive
    Age: 98 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Psychologist, Holocaust survivor, author
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
69. “Despair is the price one pays for self-awareness.”
    Irvin D. Yalom
    Born: 13 June 1931, United States
    Alive
    Age: 94 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Psychiatrist, existential psychotherapist, writer
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
70. “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
    Albert Camus
    Born: 7 November 1913, French Algeria (now Algeria)
    Died: 4 January 1960
    Age: 46 at death
    Main role: Writer, philosopher of absurdism
    Cause of death / Health: Died in a car accident in France.
71. “Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”
    Jean-Paul Sartre
    Born: 21 June 1905, France
    Died: 15 April 1980
    Age: 74 at death
    Main role: Philosopher, novelist, playwright
    Cause of death / Health: Died from lung and heart problems, including pulmonary edema.
72. “Change your life today. Don’t gamble on the future; act now, without delay.”
    Simone de Beauvoir
    Born: 9 January 1908, France
    Died: 14 April 1986
    Age: 78 at death
    Main role: Philosopher, writer, feminist thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died from pneumonia and age-related complications.
73. “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”
    Hannah Arendt
    Born: 14 October 1906, Germany
    Died: 4 December 1975
    Age: 69 at death
    Main role: Political theorist, philosopher
    Cause of death / Health: Died suddenly of a heart attack.
74. “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”
    Susan Sontag
    Born: 16 January 1933, United States
    Died: 28 December 2004
    Age: 71 at death
    Main role: Essayist, cultural critic, novelist
    Cause of death / Health: Died from acute myeloid leukemia.
75. “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”
    Elie Wiesel
    Born: 30 September 1928, Romania
    Died: 2 July 2016
    Age: 87 at death
    Main role: Writer, Holocaust survivor, human rights activist
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a long illness in old age.
76. “Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous; more dangerous are the common men ready to obey without asking.”
    Primo Levi
    Born: 31 July 1919, Italy
    Died: 11 April 1987
    Age: 67 at death
    Main role: Chemist, writer, Holocaust survivor
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a fall in his home, widely regarded as death by suicide.
77. “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
    Carl Jung
    Born: 26 July 1875, Switzerland
    Died: 6 June 1961
    Age: 85 at death
    Main role: Psychiatrist, founder of analytical psychology
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a short illness, of natural causes.
78. “Out of your vulnerabilities will come your strength.”
    Sigmund Freud
    Born: 6 May 1856, Austria (then Austrian Empire)
    Died: 23 September 1939
    Age: 83 at death
    Main role: Neurologist, founder of psychoanalysis
    Cause of death / Health: Died from an overdose of morphine given to relieve severe pain from jaw cancer.
79. “Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.”
    Alfred Adler
    Born: 7 February 1870, Austria (then Austro-Hungarian Empire)
    Died: 28 May 1937
    Age: 67 at death
    Main role: Physician, psychotherapist, founder of individual psychology
    Cause of death / Health: Died of a heart attack while travelling in Scotland.
80. “Life itself still remains a very effective therapist.”
    Karen Horney
    Born: 16 September 1885, Germany
    Died: 4 December 1952
    Age: 67 at death
    Main role: Psychoanalyst, feminist psychology pioneer
    Cause of death / Health: Died from cancer and related complications.
81. “Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive.”
    Erik Erikson
    Born: 15 June 1902, Germany
    Died: 12 May 1994
    Age: 91 at death
    Main role: Developmental psychologist, psychoanalyst
    Cause of death / Health: Died of natural causes in old age.
82. “The principal goal of education is to create people who are capable of doing new things.”
    Jean Piaget
    Born: 9 August 1896, Switzerland
    Died: 16 September 1980
    Age: 84 at death
    Main role: Developmental psychologist, epistemologist
    Cause of death / Health: Died of natural causes after a long academic life.
83. “Through others we become ourselves.”
    Lev Vygotsky
    Born: 17 November 1896, Russian Empire (today Belarus)
    Died: 11 June 1934
    Age: 37 at death
    Main role: Psychologist, learning theorist
    Cause of death / Health: Died from tuberculosis.
84. “It’s not how smart you are that matters; what really counts is how you are smart.”
    Howard Gardner
    Born: 11 July 1943, United States
    Alive
    Age: 82 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Psychologist, theorist of multiple intelligences
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
85. “At the center of our lives are relationships, and an ethic of care.”
    Carol Gilligan
    Born: 28 November 1936, United States
    Alive
    Age: 89 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Psychologist, ethicist, feminist thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
86. “Done is better than perfect.”
    Sheryl Sandberg
    Born: 28 August 1969, United States
    Alive
    Age: 56 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Business leader, author, advocate for women in leadership
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
87. “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
    Elon Musk
    Born: 28 June 1971, South Africa
    Alive
    Age: 54 (as of 2025)
    Main role: Entrepreneur, engineer, business leader
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
88. “Not all those who wander are lost.”
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Born: 3 January 1892, South Africa (later lived in England)
    Died: 2 September 1973
    Age: 81 at death
    Main role: Writer, philologist, professor
    Cause of death / Health: Died from complications of a bleeding ulcer and chest infection.
89. “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
    C.S. Lewis
    Born: 29 November 1898, Ireland (now Northern Ireland)
    Died: 22 November 1963
    Age: 64 at death
    Main role: Writer, literary scholar, Christian thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died from kidney failure and related health problems.
90. “All real living is meeting.”
    Martin Buber
    Born: 8 February 1878, Vienna (then Austria-Hungary)
    Died: 13 June 1965
    Age: 87 at death
    Main role: Philosopher of dialogue, religious thinker
    Cause of death / Health: Died of natural causes in Jerusalem, in old age.

EXTRA EXPLANATIONS AND ANSWERS

Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln and why?
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, an American actor and strong supporter of the Confederacy.
Booth shot Lincoln on 14 April 1865 in Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Booth’s stated motive: he saw Lincoln as a tyrant, hated the end of slavery, and wanted to avenge the South after the Civil War and stop Lincoln’s policies toward formerly enslaved people.

Who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi and why?
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a Hindu nationalist.
Godse shot Gandhi on 30 January 1948 in New Delhi.
Godse’s stated motive: he believed Gandhi was too soft toward Muslims, blamed him for the partition of India and Pakistan, and thought Gandhi’s calls for peace and support for Muslim citizens were harming Hindu interests.

Who assassinated Malcolm X and why?
Malcolm X was assassinated on 21 February 1965 in New York City by gunmen linked to the Nation of Islam.
Talmadge Hayer (also known as Mujahid Abdul Halim) was one of the attackers and admitted his role; two other members of the Nation of Islam were also convicted at the time.
The stated motive from the assassins’ side: they saw Malcolm X as a traitor to the Nation of Islam after he left the group, criticised its leader, and changed his views about race and cooperation, so they targeted him for his break with their movement.

About Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi:
Born: 29 September 1934, Fiume (then part of Italy, now Croatia); later a Hungarian-American psychologist in the United States.

Short explanation of existential therapy
Existential therapy is a way of doing psychotherapy that focuses on the big questions of life.
Some key ideas:

• We are free, and with freedom comes responsibility for our choices.
• Life has limits: we will die, we can feel alone, and we cannot control everything.
• People often feel anxiety when they face these facts, but this anxiety can guide growth.
• The therapist helps the person explore meaning, values, and choices, not just symptoms.
  Important themes in existential therapy:
• Meaning and purpose: What makes my life worth living?
• Freedom and responsibility: What do I choose, and what do I avoid choosing?
• Isolation and connection: How can I be truly close to others and still be myself?
• Death and finiteness: How do I live more fully, knowing life will end?
  Key names in this approach include Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, and Irvin D. Yalom.

Translation and meaning of “grit”
In psychology (especially Angela Duckworth’s work), “grit” means long-term passion plus perseverance for important goals. It is staying committed and working hard over years, even when things are boring or difficult.
A common Spanish translation is:

• “perseverancia” (sometimes also “tesón” or “determinación” for the same idea).

Daniel Goleman: is he alive and still working?

• Daniel Goleman was born on 7 March 1946 in Stockton, California, USA.
• As of late 2025, he is alive and still active.
• He continues to write, give talks, and develop programmes about emotional intelligence and leadership.
  He also co-directs a consortium on emotional intelligence in organisations and appears in interviews and podcasts.

Daniel Goleman: latest book and its reception vs. “Thinking, Fast and Slow”

• Daniel Goleman’s latest major book (with Cary Cherniss) is:
  “Optimal: How to Sustain Excellence Every Day” (published 2024).
• It gives practical advice, based on many studies, on how to reach and keep an “optimal state” of focus, emotional balance, and performance in daily life and work.
• Reception of “Optimal”:
• Reviews are generally positive. Readers say it is helpful and practical, especially for leaders and professionals.
• Ratings on big book sites are good, but the number of reviews is still modest.
• Comparison with Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow”:
• “Thinking, Fast and Slow” has become a huge worldwide classic in psychology and economics, with very high ratings, many academic citations, and millions of copies sold.
• “Optimal” is respected and useful, but it has not (so far) reached the same level of fame or cultural impact as “Thinking, Fast and Slow”.
• In simple words: “Optimal” is well liked, but Kahneman’s book is still the giant in public and academic reception.

Daniel Goleman: children and their professions
Public information shows that Daniel Goleman and his wife Tara Bennett-Goleman have two sons:

• Hanuman Goleman
• Founder and CEO of Key Step Media (formerly More Than Sound).
• Works with audio, books, and courses, many of them based on emotional intelligence.
• Co-host of the podcast “First Person Plural: EI & Beyond”.
• Also trained as an emotional intelligence coach and has experience with mindfulness and storytelling.
• Gov (Govinda) Goleman
• Owner and proprietor of “Metalurges”, a company doing fine architectural metalwork in Massachusetts.
• His work is in skilled craft and design: building high-quality metal pieces for buildings and projects.

Short reminder definitions

Grit (in English)

• A personal quality of long-term passion and perseverance for important goals, especially when things are hard or boring.

Primatologist

• A scientist who studies primates: monkeys, apes, and related animals.
• They observe how primates live, think, communicate, and care for each other, often to learn more about human behaviour too.

Recommended YouTube video: The Power of Vulnerability – TED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o

31. “I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
    Abraham Lincoln
    Born: 12 February 1809, United States
    Died: 15 April 1865
    Age at death: 56 years
    Main role: Political leader (16th President of the United States)
    Cause of death / Health: Assassinated; died from a gunshot wound.
32. “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
    Mahatma Gandhi
    Born: 2 October 1869, India
    Died: 30 January 1948
    Age at death: 78 years
    Main role: Political and spiritual leader, activist for non-violence
    Cause of death / Health: Assassinated; shot during a public prayer meeting.
33. “I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”
    Florence Nightingale
    Born: 12 May 1820, United Kingdom
    Died: 13 August 1910
    Age at death: 90 years
    Main role: Nurse, social reformer
    Cause of death / Health: Heart failure and old age.
34. “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.”
    Marie Curie
    Born: 7 November 1867, Poland (worked mainly in France)
    Died: 4 July 1934
    Age at death: 66 years
    Main role: Scientist (physicist and chemist)
    Cause of death / Health: Aplastic anemia, linked to long-term radiation exposure.
35. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
    Helen Keller
    Born: 27 June 1880, United States
    Died: 1 June 1968
    Age at death: 87 years
    Main role: Writer, lecturer, disability rights activist
    Cause of death / Health: Died in her sleep after earlier strokes.
36. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
    Winston Churchill
    Born: 30 November 1874, United Kingdom
    Died: 24 January 1965
    Age at death: 90 years
    Main role: Political leader (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
    Cause of death / Health: Stroke.
37. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
    Franklin D. Roosevelt
    Born: 30 January 1882, United States
    Died: 12 April 1945
    Age at death: 63 years
    Main role: Political leader (32nd President of the United States)
    Cause of death / Health: Cerebral hemorrhage (stroke).
38. “Optimism is a skill that can be learned.”
    Martin Seligman
    Born: 12 August 1942, United States
    Alive
    Age: 83 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Psychologist, founder of positive psychology
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
39. “The best moments in life happen when we are completely involved in what we are doing.”
    Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    Born: 29 September 1934
    Died: 20 October 2021
    Age at death: 87 years
    Main role: Psychologist, researcher of “flow”
    Cause of death / Health: Cardiac arrest at home.
40. “Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly leads to failure.”
    Albert Bandura
    Born: 4 December 1925, Canada
    Died: 26 July 2021
    Age at death: 95 years
    Main role: Psychologist, researcher of self-efficacy and social learning
    Cause of death / Health: Congestive heart failure.
41. “What a man can be, he must be.”
    Abraham Maslow
    Born: 1 April 1908, United States
    Died: 8 June 1970
    Age at death: 62 years
    Main role: Psychologist, creator of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
    Cause of death / Health: Heart attack.
42. “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.”
    Rollo May
    Born: 21 April 1909, United States
    Died: 22 October 1994
    Age at death: 85 years
    Main role: Psychologist, existential therapist
    Cause of death / Health: Congestive heart failure.
43. “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.”
    Erich Fromm
    Born: 23 March 1900, Germany
    Died: 18 March 1980
    Age at death: 79 years
    Main role: Social psychologist, philosopher
    Cause of death / Health: Heart attack.
44. “You largely construct your own reality and your own happiness.”
    Albert Ellis
    Born: 27 September 1913, United States
    Died: 24 July 2007
    Age at death: 93 years
    Main role: Psychologist, creator of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
    Cause of death / Health: Kidney and heart failure.
45. “If our thinking is unrealistic, our emotions will be distorted.”
    Aaron T. Beck
    Born: 18 July 1921, United States
    Died: 1 November 2021
    Age at death: 100 years
    Main role: Psychiatrist, founder of cognitive therapy
    Cause of death / Health: Died in his sleep at home; specific cause not widely reported.
46. “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
    Jon Kabat-Zinn
    Born: 5 June 1944, United States
    Alive
    Age: 81 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Teacher of mindfulness, scientist
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
47. “Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.”
    Daniel H. Pink
    Born: 23 July 1964, United States
    Alive
    Age: 61 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Writer on work, motivation, and behavior
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
48. “Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
    Simon Sinek
    Born: 9 October 1973, United Kingdom (raised mainly in South Africa and United States)
    Alive
    Age: 52 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Author, speaker on leadership and purpose
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
49. “It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”
    Tony Robbins
    Born: 29 February 1960, United States
    Alive
    Age: 65 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Motivational speaker, coach, author
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
50. “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
    Paulo Coelho
    Born: 24 August 1947, Brazil
    Alive
    Age: 78 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Writer
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
51. “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”
    Eckhart Tolle
    Born: 16 February 1948, Germany (later Canada)
    Alive
    Age: 77 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Spiritual teacher, writer
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
52. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
    Michael Jordan
    Born: 17 February 1963, United States
    Alive
    Age: 62 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Athlete (basketball player), entrepreneur
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
53. “Champions keep playing until they get it right.”
    Billie Jean King
    Born: 22 November 1943, United States
    Alive
    Age: 82 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Athlete (tennis player), equality advocate
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
54. “You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”
    Lionel Messi
    Born: 24 June 1987, Argentina
    Alive
    Age: 38 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Athlete (football player)
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
55. “Dreams are not what you see in your sleep; dreams are the things that do not let you sleep.”
    Cristiano Ronaldo
    Born: 5 February 1985, Portugal
    Alive
    Age: 40 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Athlete (football player)
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
56. “You are never too small to make a difference.”
    Greta Thunberg
    Born: 3 January 2003, Sweden
    Alive
    Age: 22 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Climate activist
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.
57. “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
    Ruth Bader Ginsburg
    Born: 15 March 1933, United States
    Died: 18 September 2020
    Age at death: 87 years
    Main role: Judge (U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
    Cause of death / Health: Complications from pancreatic cancer.
58. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
    Malcolm X
    Born: 19 May 1925, United States
    Died: 21 February 1965
    Age at death: 39 years
    Main role: Activist, speaker for civil rights
    Cause of death / Health: Assassinated; died from gunshot wounds.
59. “If you don’t like someone’s story, write your own.”
    Chinua Achebe
    Born: 16 November 1930, Nigeria
    Died: 21 March 2013
    Age at death: 82 years
    Main role: Writer, literary critic
    Cause of death / Health: Died after a short illness.
60. “Culture does not make people. People make culture.”
    Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
    Born: 15 September 1977, Nigeria
    Alive
    Age: 48 years (as of November 2025)
    Main role: Writer, feminist speaker
    Cause of death / Health: Alive; no major public illness reported.

Definitions

Grit:
Grit is a mix of passion and perseverance for a long-term goal.
It means you keep going, you work hard, and you do not give up, even when things are difficult and slow.

Primatologist:
A primatologist is a scientist who studies primates.
Primates are animals like monkeys, apes, and lemurs.
Primatologists watch how these animals live, move, think, and communicate.

About Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman is alive.
He was born on 7 March 1946 in the United States.
He is about 79 years old (as of November 2025).
He is known for his work on emotional intelligence, and there is no public report that he has died.