So today I decided to give a slight makeover to Hans’ Milieu.

In addition to the updated look, I have managed to implement the following new features:

• A new commenting system
• A proper contact form
• A suave method of viewing photographs (click on any photo, go on try it)
• An updated ‘related posts’ plug-in
• Brought back the search bar (after inadvertently losing it)
• An updated ‘motto’ – Do you know what it means? Tell me what you think.
• And I have finally decided to do away with the Milieu “Signature Send-Off”

Believe me, I am no coding whizz, but WordPress makes managing and updating a blog pretty effortless.

I hope you all enjoy the new look and changes to Hans’ Milieu. I would love to hear your thoughts on the modifications, so please do try out the new commenting system and let me know what you think.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Yes, I have been quite the slacker when it comes to updating my blog. I have no excuses this time though. Truth be told, I have just not felt like updating.

(Picture courtesy of AlaaShaker)

Granted I was abroad for over 5 glorious weeks but what people in the blogosphere do not tell you is that blogging is hard. It takes time & skill to write good posts worthy of garnering attention and building a ‘following’. I have found that it is much easier to simply update my social networks with information than to have to sit down and consciously write and edit stories about my life.

With that said, I cannot help but feel ‘guilty’ for neglecting you. Yes you, a member of the undeniable legions of readers I fool myself into believing are actually there. Thus, I will persevere. However, I will no longer fill your dreams and hopes with empty promises. I shall blog but I will do so randomly and without any form of predictability.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

For quite some time I have considered mobile blogging. Unfortunately, the WordPress mobile website is far from satisfactory. At least, that was the case with my previous Nokia and Windows Mobile devices.

I haven’t mentioned it to you all yet but I have made the move back to the iPhone. Yes I know, I was really negative about my original iPhone 3G back in 2008 (which I still haven’t been paid in full for after I sold it) but that was all pre-iPhone OS 3.0. Now, with my iPhone 3GS and the latest iPhone OS, I feel like I can see colours again!

The post you are reading now has been compiled on the WordPress iPhone application. It is pretty good. Not perfect, but acceptable enough for me to actually want to use.

Anyway, this was just a short and sweet post about the fact that I am back into the mobile blogging scene. Hopefully this new application will allow for a more organic blogging experience.

Until the next time Milieunairs!

(Update: I bought a new app called BlogPress and have edited this post with it. It cost $3 but it appears to be worth it)

To mark this special year, which also happens to be divisible by 5 and you all know how much I love numbers, I have committed myself to 10 resolutions for this new year.

I actually had a grand plan of revealing each resolution on each new day of the first 10 days of the new year via Twitter. Unfortunately, this did not work out as planned. Nevertheless, this is the long awaited and eventual blog post to sum everything up. Without further ado, I present to you, my new years resolutions for 2010:

#1: Obtain the infamous "6 pack" by my 25th birthday.

#2: Sleep more. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night.

#3: Blog more. I would like to try and output a minimum of three quality posts a week.

#4: Procrastinate less. Whenever possible, do today what could be left for tomorrow.

#5: Maintain a good posture. Breaking my arm threw everything out of whack. Time to get it all back!

#6: Learn to play the piano. A new means of emotional expression.

#7: Go on a long road trip. Life is about creating memorable moments and experiences.

#8: Adhere to the speed limit and attempt to avoid reckless road rage driven drivers.

#9: Letting go. Stay close to those who add value to your life, discard those who only cause pain.

#10: Make the move. It is no longer if, but when.

All I have to do now, is actually stick to this list of resolutions *eek*. Far easier said than done, but it is not impossible.

I certainly am looking forward to this new year. I do believe that it has a lot to offer and I plan to make the most of it!

God speed to you all and may you all succeed within whatever it is you put your minds to!

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Welcome to the new home of Hans’ Milieu!

For the nascent among you, my name is Hans Haupt. I am a compassionate, friendly, ambitious, witty and warm person who is more than able to hold an astute academically driven conversation, while retaining a self-confessed gutter bound mind.

I am also a social media aficionado with mild philanthropically fuelled dreams of entrepreneurial grandeur. Consequently, I am an active member of a variety of socially driven websites. If you are interested to know more about me, feel free to surf over and peruse the following:

To my faithful readers, welcome back! This video is especially for you…

Welcome back! Especially for Millieunairs!

Once again, welcome to the new home of Hans’ Milieu! I hope and trust that all who have or will stumble upon this site will continue to share and be an active part of my ever evolving and, at times, adventurous life story!

To the future “Milieunairs”!

Yes, you read that correctly Milieu Pals. Hans’ Milieu has officially had 13 000 views. Whoop whoop!

That equates to approximately 309 views per month, or just under 10 views per day, since the creation of Hans’ Milieu, way back in June of 2005.

Not too bad, even if I say so myself.

Honestly, I am actually pleasantly surprised by the total number of views my blog has received. Granted it may not seem like a lot to regular and more popular bloggers, especially those who have a dedicated following, however, in my mind, it certainly is not a figure to be disregarded.

Consequently, I would like to give an extremely warm and grateful ‘thank you’ to all Milieu Pals, whether new or old. This milestone could not have been acquired without you! Merci beaucoup!

Here are a few (since I could not find many; feel free to share if you know anymore) interesting facts concerning the number 13 000:

• Bolivia’s administrative capital, La Paz, is the highest capital city in the world at about 13,000 ft above sea level (source).
• Since radio waves travel at 186,000 miles (299,274 km) per second and sound waves saunter at 700 miles (1,126 km) per hour, it is possible for a broadcasted voice to be heard 13,000 miles (20,917 km) away, before it can be heard at the back of the room in which it originated (source).

• A marine census has documented more than 13,000 species in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, including several hundred that may be new to science. The surveys surprisingly turned up dozens of species found in both seas, despite a separation of 13,000 kilometres (source).

Until the next time Milieu Pals.
(P.S.: 13 007 views now… and rising! Ha ha)