I BREAK THE NEWS | News, Creativity, Life and Travel

Hey everyone, I just came back from my short family trip to the baltic sea and I brought some news with me! While we were sitting on the beach (me trying hard to get a tan but I got more like a sunburn 🏖️) we saw a guy on a Fliteboard passing us by in the distance.. We were like: What is this thing?! So once I got back to my laptop, I googled flying surf board or something like that and there it was, listed on google shopping: The Fliteboard!

This is the Fliteboard available in 3 different colors

A pricey gadget, probably for when you already have everything else. So I went on the website and found out it was invented by Australians a few years ago already and get this, on the website I also found the following quote: 'Described by Shopify founder Tobias Lütke as 'the most magical gadget on the planet', the boards sell for $15,950 in Australia.' So some people already know about this board for a while. I know about it just now!🌊

Matthew McConaughey is that you?!?

This whole thing reminds me of the time when I wanted a hoverboard but it never arrived so I got a refund and around that time hoverboards started exploding here and there so I was kind of glad I did not get one after all. But I would still take one as a gift! :) Don't get me wrong. I am curious to find out how a Fliteboard works and also how you can get back on it once you fall into the water. There seems to be a remote for it..🏄

On the website the Fliteboard is being described like this: 'No wind, no problem' could be the motto for two of Australia’s latest sports tech entrepreneurs, with Andrew Ross and David Trewern reshaping surfing one wave at a time. From something that can only be done in the right weather conditions at beaches with waves, surfing will become a year-round sport. Our custom designed waterproof handheld remote provides intuitive control. The display shows GPS speed, remaining battery power and time, energy used per kilometre.'

Having a Fliteboard only really makes sense, if you live near the beach and safe if you are a very good swimmer - just in case! It is somehow unreal, to see someone literally flying over the water like that. When technology is being applied to sports. Imagine taking this board to reach a boat nearby.. My main concern would probably be battery life because you do not want the battery to go to zero when you are way far out. We think, this is definitely an exciting invention! 💡

all images © Fliteboard

Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck © Warner Bros

As the lock down is coming to an end in many places, the question is, will there be an official announcement and some guidelines or do we really have to find everything out for ourselves by googling it? Are the airports open yet? Where is the support that was promised in the beginning of this quarantine, it is strangely quiet now.. It seems like businesses are slowly and carefully opening back up again. But that is just Germany and I am not sure how far along they are internationally. I am back here until the lockdown is over. Hallo Deutschland!

There is a show on German TV called 'Goodbye Deutschland - die Auswanderer' meaning 'Goodbye Germany - The Emigrants.' I like to watch the most interesting episodes of it online because it is a documentary series about Germans who start a new life in a new country. Like I have done so many times.. Sometimes they go by themselves, sometimes as a couple and sometimes as a whole family plus pets! They start their business in the new country, try to make friends and to settle down. I think it is very brave to follow your ambitions and to go for it. A thoughtful approach with a like-minded partner is the best way to succeed. We are not here to wait it out. We have to take action. Personally I would not want to have it any other way.

Shopify was founded by a German in Canada

And technology does not make it easier to find true connection. Someone recently said the internet destroyed human connection and there is truth to that. But we are human, we are social beings. We were made for real life connection, to be together not isolated and only interacting via a screen. This is not how we achieve well-being. This is not what we were built for or how we achieve happiness in the long term. We have to join real life forces. In every area of life. In every place around the world. I was kind of shocked recently, when someone referred to the state we are currently in, to living in virtual reality (already). Honestly it looks like we are more than half-way there. The main focus is on what is happening on a screen, laptop or phone instead of on what is happening in real life in front of us.

Speaking of business! While I am still working on my e-commerce stuff I am learning constantly and have watched countless videos from many experts on the topics I am interested in. For me it is a mix of different international opinions and strategies that brought me one step further. If there would be a YouTube degree I would have one by now. In fact, I find YouTube very valuable and the amount of information you get on there free of charge is sometimes not even matched by paid programs some universities or online schools have to offer, because YouTube is way more unfiltered, straight to the point and up to date. In addition to that, I also have my reference letter from Oprah via a LinkeIn course I have watched last year. My next job better be good - Oprah is vouching for me! 😃

Editor-in-Chief about to go on a family trip

You see this thing behind me? This is our wooden house. A house in our backyard made out of wood. It is high up and you need a ladder to get in there. We like to call it tree house but it is not on a tree but under a tree. My dad built it together with my nephew when he was into building stuff for a while. Now, nobody is using it. With my business mindset I briefly thought about renting it out on Airbnb as an AirBnB EXPERIENCE. But the thing is, it does not have a toilet so that would be the real experience. :D However there is one nearby but once again you have to use a ladder. But it is pretty cool! My nephew used to have a few sleepovers in there and I have been told 3 people can fit. And there is wifi. If the missing toilet does not bother you, you can send me a request.

In conclusion, we all have to adapt to the current situation and go from there. Like most people I am looking for safety and stability in my life while trying to combine this with achieving the goals I have set for myself. These are turbulent times for all of us. Nobody could have predicted the state the world is currently in.. So stay informed via reliable sources and take action if you can. Do not worry if you don't have all the answers. After all, how many worldwide pandemics have we been through so far? For most of us this was the first experience of its kind. One we could have done without. Thank you for stopping by here today. I hope I was able to lift you up a bit by sharing parts of my story and I want to remind you, that you are not alone and we are all in this together, just at different locations of the world. Auf Wiedersehen und bis zum nächsten mal! PS. 'If you do not have a dream there is nothing to fulfil.'

Hello everybody, welcome back. As you know by now, there are protests going on worldwide, initiated by the senseless and violent crime against George Floyd of Minneapolis. In turbulent times like this, all of us need thoughtful and decisive leadership. Since we already know, that we can not expect to get that from a Reality TV Show host, we need to turn to America's Late Night hosts instead. When times are uncertain and confusing, it is always appreciated to receive a summary of the latest events by Stephen Colbert.

Additionally, here is Trevor Noah's very open and real take, on what is happening right now. He has some really insightful thoughts to share. Good that we switched notifications on so we saw this video, right after it was released. We said it before and we say it again, Trevor Noah is making a huge impact since several years now and we think with his authenticity and ability to share the truth and important facts, even within a comedic setting, he will be mentioned in the history books. Keep it up Trevor!

work by Eme Freethinker

Even before covid-19 and these protests, there were alarming signs regarding to which direction this is all headed. Big tech companies, our data and their - allegedly - financially rewarding bond with the evil but powerful of the world. It is TIME to make a conscious decision to return to humanity, authenticity and to what really matters in life. The majority of people today is glued to their screens 24/7. It is the biggest mind f*ck in history. This is a personal opinion piece by the way.

Stephen Colbert

Yet, on the upside, what big tech companies underestimate, is that besides the possibility of using these platforms to spread fake stories /information to manipulate people/voters (see previous post) it is also very easy for people to spread real events worldwide with a tap of a button on a phone screen. Don't forget that. Otherwise this crime would have never been exposed. That is the yin and yang of it all. In conclusion, if they utilize these tools for bad - we may as well utilize them for good and to make justice possible.

Trevor Noah

This is a stock photo to enhance the positive energy of this post

Hello everyone, I thought I give you a little glimpse into what the lockdown situation is currently like in Germany. So ever since March, most stores and all schools are closed. You can still go to the supermarket, where they disinfect the shopping basket once you return it. Keeping your distance to other shoppers is required, wearing a mask during the shopping run is recommended but not ordered by law as of yet. Necessary places like hospitals and elderly homes continue to operate, with additional safety measures. Just like everywhere, protective gear is in high demand and sold out in stores mostly. But you can still get it on online - sent from China or from within Germany where self sewn re-usable cotton mask stores pop up online left and right with any prints/colors you can imagine.

Greetings from my (backyard) home office to yours.

Daily quarantine routine does not really include make-up. 💁🏻

There was an article on LinkedIn recently, titled: Is this the end of the influencer? And I just thought: I sure hope so. :D If you think about it, only if you pretend your life, your skin, YOUR MAKE-UP and your relationship is perfect, will you get the admiration of thousands of instagram followers and $brand deals$. This platform and the way it is being used now brainwashed people. It is a dangerous concept because if you are a real person with real problems you can't score. Also, I think a personal life is a precious thing to have.💎

There is a very well known business strategist who held countless keynote speeches. He has a very young easy to impress audience and he (still) says you should be on social media 24/7. How irresponsible?! He has 2 children. Guess how many hours a day they are on social media.. ZERO is my guess.(PS. I used it when it was NOT what it is now) As a woman you barely want to go outside when you are not photoshopped into perfection.. That is what I think, now imagine being a teenager in these times. 🤔

A quote to remember: Perfect is not real and real is not perfect. Meanwhile we are facing environmental issues and barely anybody is talking about what is really going on and what does not work in reality at all. It is the ideal cover up. Pretend everything is fine, get paid by big brands to keep up the facade and nobody has to take action - because everything is great, right? False. Because the current problem is so immense that it broke through the surface and damn right it finally burst the instagram bubble, if you are paying attention. So this brings me to the main topic of this post: How do I spend my time in quarantine?

During quarantine I like to play with my dog Scotty all day

because I think it is a productive way of spending my time.🐶😊

I had a family Easter BBQ with my parents. Did you know, that if you request a song from ALEXA and it does not have it, it will play a playlist of songs similar to the one you originally wanted? It can also just play any radio station.. I am not sure about all its functions since it is not mine. It belongs to my parents, it was a gift from my nephew.🎶

So to add a bit more excitement to the BBQ I requested a song. Since I like RnB and Hip Hop, it was that type of song.. but Alexa did not have it so the recommended playlist started.. and we literally went from a radio station that was playing 'imagine all the people..' to this song:

That was also the moment, when I was glad my parents don't speak English.

This playlist went on for a while and I have to say Alexa came up with some good Hip Hop/RnB songs from the past, when things were different.

So what else am I doing during my time in isolation: I do some graphic design for my online projects and watch many, many youtube videos. Question: How many videos on ecommerce can 1 person watch? How many webinars about ecommerce can 1 person take part in? The answer is: Never too many. God bless the day, when I finally figure it out. But I think I am half-way there. So much great content about it. The best thing is the location independence. When I watch travel videos, I realize what international food I miss: Chipotle for example. We don't have that here at all. I love tacos or a burrito with guac!! 😊🌮🌮

Also, I think it is worth a mention that this little Blog right here - has won an award! My first award ever. Under other circumstances I could be really happy about it. I got an e-mail that said I have won the Excellence in Business Award in the category Best UK News & Entertainment Blog! To which I can only say: Wow, thank you. I am glad someone likes what I am doing. So this is now an award-winning Blog. Which makes me an award winning writer. OMG.😱

Watching a press conference that does not contain true facts.

In all seriousness, these are uncertain times for everyone. I am also worried and I am thinking a lot about what is next.. I was in London when all of this started. But there are only 2 ways of handling it and I chose hope over fear. Even with articles like this, I want to send out some positive energy to all those who need it right now.
We are in this together - we go through it together. I am also watching a lot of motivational content on YouTube and I want to conclude this award winning article with a message from one of my 3 favorite coaches: Lisa Nichols. Listen to this and feel better. Thank you for stopping by.