Since 2025
Dutch
From nodding along to holding a conversation. The plateaus, the practice that stuck, and what I still cannot say.
Getting better, on purpose
Two long games I am playing outside of code: Dutch, and getting comfortable in front of a room.
Journeys
What I am working on
Both are slow, both are public, and both have changed how I practise everything else.
Since 2026
Public speaking
Starting with a five-minute lightning talk and working up. What the nerves do, and what actually helps.
Entries
Written along the way
Longer pieces on why and how — the progress logs live on each journey.
My first Toastmasters role: timekeeper, at one minute's notice
The timekeeper on the agenda couldn't make it, so I stood in at the last minute. What two minutes at the front of the room taught me.
Why I am learning Dutch
Living somewhere without speaking the language is a kind of permanent visitor status. This is why I decided to stop being a visitor.
Why I joined Toastmasters
Explaining things clearly on paper was not the same as explaining them out loud. A club that meets every two weeks seemed like the honest fix.
Next
Learning something similar?
If you are working on a language or on speaking, I would like to compare notes on what is actually working.
Get in touch