Three things I love
Outside of work hours, I enjoy crafting handmade soaps. It requires great care and focus to ensure both hygiene and safety, because the key ingredient, sodium hydroxide, is caustic on its own. I compose formulas with just the right amounts of ingredients like cocoa butter, olive oil or sheep’s milk to create gentle and bubbly soaps, and pigments and fragrance oils offer the opportunity to get creative!
Favourite soap: Swirly chai latte soap with freshly brewed assam tea
I also have a deep appreciation for nature. Living at the edge of a forest, I often find myself watching the local bats, wild bunnies and buzzards, and at night I listen to the calls of the tawny owl. Sometimes a crow couple comes to visit for a little snack! While I don’t have the luck to own a garden, I take care of a public flower bed as a volunteer, keep it clean and grow a carefully selected variation of plants to be enjoyed by both passers-by and insects!
Favourite plant: Echinacea
Last but not least, I love narrative heavy video games. There is something magical about a well composed story, told with the advantages of different media and art forms. Diving into a game world of muddy, dim-lit streets or sun-touched grass swaying in the wind, elevated with sound design and voice acting that helps the world and its inhabitants come alive, and music that creates atmosphere and affect – it gives you new perspectives to explore and a bonus on creativity. It’s also great for training problem solving, resource management, and language!
Favourite game: Horizon Zero Dawn