Fatherhood — The Personal Thread Behind the Technology
Between the server logs and bicycle builds, there's a father writing about what actually matters.
Most of Willem's blog is about technology, bikes, and building things. But the posts that people remember longest are the personal ones — the ones where fatherhood, health, and family break through the surface. These are fewer in number but deeper in impact.
Behind every post about servers and sensors, there's a father. The cargo bike isn't just an engineering project — it's how the kids get to school. The health sensors aren't just data — they're peace of mind for a parent managing a rare condition. The move to the countryside isn't just lifestyle — it's about what kind of childhood you want to give your children.
MCADD
The most personal post on the entire blog. Living with MCADD — a rare metabolic disorder that affects one of Willem's children — is raw, informative, and written to help other parents who find themselves in the same situation. It explains what MCADD is, how it shapes daily life, and why Willem started wearing health sensors in the first place.
The Big Decisions
Moving to the countryside — leaving Amsterdam after years of city life. It's a family decision, written with the honesty of someone who loved the city but needed something different for his children. The cargo bike build connects directly: it was built to carry kids.
The Quiet Moments
Not every personal post is about big decisions. Harvesting boredom is about creativity and parenting — letting children (and yourself) be bored enough to make something. The posts about selling the car, about festivals, about the daily bike commute — they're all shaped by the reality of being a father in a Dutch city.
Also explore
the heart · Amsterdam stories · leaving the city · cycling
The Thread
Fatherhood doesn't get its own section in Willem's blog navigation. It doesn't need one. It's the thread that runs underneath everything else — the reason the cargo bike got built, the health sensors got worn, the move to the countryside happened. Technology serves life, not the other way around.
