DIANNE OLIVAN

That's me at the Time Out Market in Lisbon (2024) holding a gelato, around maybe 7 p.m.?

In a culture/space that punishes self-celebration (and self-love), here is a photo of me. If you'd like to know me as a person outside the capitalist pressure of labor and production, below are some things I like and enjoy:

Non-tech/no-screen days: I started coding at age 9, adding music and making sections of my hot pink-themed Friendster profile disappear, and placing marquee banners on my Multiply page (yes, #girlsinSTEM). I also fixed analog phones as a hobby so tech is such a huge part of who I am growing up. Now, while my work still is related to tech, and I am much much older... if there are days that I can do screen breaks, I very much look forward to it.

Music: I don't have a technical attachment to music. I do not seek it out for any reason. Songs in my playlists are mostly indie folk, OPM, Disney/Pixar soundtracks, meditation music, or Japanese city pop. Most of these songs, however, have been recommended by people I love. I enjoy reminiscing when I listen to the song, more than the song itself.

Movement: Pilates, dance, yoga

Researching about energy and connections. Connection to ourselves, to our bodies, to others, to nature, to our Higher Selves (or God, Universe, our ancestors, whichever you honor within your context and culture). In fact, I am currently building a project which I call Gitling Studio, where I study varying schools of thought about connection. Gitling is hyphen in Filipino, which, to me, represents connections.

Learning how to sew. I have a Brother GS2700 that I am still befriending. I do have some patterns to go through.

Fire or lighting candles or Palo Santo of hopes and prayers at every church I pass. I am not religious, but I see perpetual beauty in spaces where people celebrate, mourn, or just be able to be vulnerable.

Books AND bookstores. Bookstores and libraries are my happy place. In a recent trip, I have bought 15-20 books. And I need to be stopped.

Moments of waiting: I treasure moments when I am able to read my book while doing errands. I love scheduling time between errands and needs to read a book at the nearest coffee shop.

Random photos of my family's 14-year old dog, Snowie.

Hope-centric media. If I feel like there are sensations in my body that needs or can be released by (ugly) crying, I watch videos of people coming together, restorative content, people rehabilitating/forgiving/receiving forgiveness with changed behavior, or people holding space for other people grounded in love.

Co-working dates or any quality-time/quiet-as-a-cat modes with people I love. 

Mindfulness, meditation, prayer in gratitude, and surrender. 

I was always private and secure because I work in digital human rights -- but I am learning how to live and love loudly, so my Instagram is actually public. See below!