It is a warm re-welcome!

My last post dates from almost a year ago, more than time enough to start blogging to you guys again! It has been a crazy time since that last blogpost. We travelled a bit all over the world, worked like hell to get SonicAngel of the ground (which is working ) and spent a lot of time with our little boy Charlie – who still is kinda one of the most important persons in our lives.

We still love music, last concert was the Twilight Singers in the AB some days ago, and we still adore LA.

This small blogpost just to say we’re back on track with the blog!

Midem – Cannes

Just spend a great 5 days in Cannes, at the music fair Midem.   In one word, amazing! My second year in going there, and I met so many new people and got so many new insights that I am still a little bit dizzy! I went for the full 5 days, and for me it was totally worth it. While Midem last year, was for us still a primarily learning experience and getting a feel of the business – this year was all about getting to know the (in our opinion off course) cool companies and to see if we could work something out together.

If you are interested in digital media, and trying to work out new stuff  - here are a few you should really look into!

www.streamjam.com, www.sonicbids.com, www.soundcloud.com, www.mxp4.com, www.tagger.fm, www.topspinmedia.com, www.mobileroadie.com

You’ll be seeing the effect in our marketing campaigns really soon

CES – LAS VEGAS

This year was my first time ever at CES Las Vegas. Not my first time in Las Vegas, so I had some idea of the crazyness to expect. But who could have thought that even on the level of conferences – Las Vegas’ motto is big, bigger and biggest! Actually, now I am writing this i just noticed my own contradiction – Las Vegas motto is ALWAYS big, bigger and biggest, in every aspect of life…

But back to CES… Three trends I, and a thousands with me – no doubt – noticed.

First 3D was like, well – everywhere… Every big name, from Samsung, LG, Sony,  Panasonic, … had one to please the audience. With glasses, without glasses, you name it – I saw it. And even after all this and a cool movie like Avatar, I am still not a huge fan. I just can’t see myself watching my favourite Ugly Betty show in 3D.  What I did like was 3D in combination with gaming. There I really get the advantages, it just provides the gamer with a way cooler experience, you get the feeling that you’re really absorbed by the game so there – for me, 3D really shows it’s true potential. So my conclusion: 3D + gaming, YES! 3D + fim: KINDA! 3D + home TV watching: NOT YET!

Secondly, in car technology – mainly the cool streaming and voice to speach possibilities integrated in your future car, were really awesome to see. It makes it easier, it makes it safer, it’s entertaining – so hell yeah, I want it!

Thirdly, the possibities of the new settop boxes for TV are tremendous. Gone the userinterface of Belgacom TV or Telenet – hello to a great new way of combining internet, TV and applications in a fun and very intuitive user interface. Your TV just won’t be the same after this.

Curious to see what we’ll see in stores later this year!

Social Media Girl Power

Something which is fascinating me for quite some time now – there are a heck of a lot of girls kicking ass in the social media space. Just look at the number of female guest writers on www.mashable.com, and you too will be surprised! Is it sexist to be surprised? I hope not, ’cause I know where we girls come from. Working the last 10 years in big Tech Companies like Siemens and EDS, I definately know that there weren’t so many girls around some time ago. Even during my studies, as a commercial engineer – specialised in informatics, the numbers were something like 5 girls and about 35 boys. Good for our sense of popularity in the classroom but it does demonstrate that the recent uprise of female power on the internet and social media sphere has come a long way!

More importantly, we’re being taken seriously and considered as true experts on the issue of social media. Not only by perception, but also backed by numbers – women outnumber men when it comes to sites like Flickr,Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed,MySpace and Bebo (http://mashable.com/2009/10/03/women-rule-the-social-web/) There are a tremendous amount of female bloggers around, talking about the obvious things – friends, family, kids but gradually creating this ‘fun’ blogs to effectively profitable businesses.

With more and more businesses showing real interest in social media, and trying to turn it in an actual ROI – this might just be the perfect timing for all these fanatic cool geeky girls to put your own social media knowledge to good use.

Gay Pride Brussels

In Brussels, we live very close to what is known as the gaycommunity of the city aka the Plattesteen and surroundings. Today it was a highday for the gaycommunity, with the yearly gaypride. As every year, it is one of the most exuberant manifestations in Brussels. You never  see more extravaganza per square meter than on this day. And although for some people this is a reason to create their own little exodus out of town, it is also one of the most joyfull and peacefull manifestations around. You’ll see people dancing, singing, acting crazy but never a grimm or hostile atmosphere.

All the above just to say that ‘Man, they can dance!”

Entrepreneuring – the girly way

Last monday evening there was a lot of girlpower going on in our kitchen, seen 3 friends and I were brainstorming about a new company. Woman and business, it is a more evident choice than ever. Demonstrated also by all these great initiatives  that are being taken to promote women and business – some already existing for some time, others brand new. For us, it meant a great boost for our own creativity to know that there is so much support out there!

So for all you entrepreneuring girls, here is a list of all the ones we like so far!

- Brusselsgirlgeekdinner organised by bnox => we are still looking for a technology chick to join us, and somehow I am convinced we will find her there! www.brusselsgirlgeekdinner.be

- Womenslab.org => boost innovation and creativity among and by women. A new initiative taken bij Jan from the well know AddictLab. www.womenslab.org

- Com’eva startersaward => www.comeva.be

- Markant VZW => networking but actually so much more than that! www.markantvzw.be

All initiatives by and for women, you go girls!

Irisfeest in Brussels

What a joy Brussels is when no cars are allowed in the center. Today, thanks to the yearly celebration of the Brussels Region, we enjoyed a carless day with lots of cool activities. And even plenty of sun, how atypical can it get! There was the 1,2 km long table between the gare du midi and the grand place,  the small eateries scattered around it, the great circusinitiations for toddlers and kids of all ages, the fountain filled with colourful balls and one giant plastic one, in which a ballerina was dancing – poetic to say the least – , the dance event embellished with great cocktails, the concerts on the square in front of the palais, …. .

Charlie, Saartje, Kim and me divided our time between the table (a girl has got to eat, no?) and the circusinitiations for toddlers. When you have kids, you finally understand the real goal of child attractions – give the parents a break and let the kids exhaust theirselves so a good night sleep is the result. Charlie climbed up and off everything he could get his little hands on, just sorry i didn’t brought my camera.

You’ll now by now I really, really like my city and well, today was another of those days why…

1 down, 3 to go

Usually not known for my athletic qualities, last friday I find myself  in Knokke for my first official running tour. The first of 4 Knack Ladies runs would start there at 14.30 and I thought a mere 3,5 km would be right up my alley. That was the goal….  However upon arrival Ido sign in for the 10K, just in order to see where all my training of the last months has lead me. Bart looks worried, but manages to hide - not very well though -  his anxiety and just tells me not to overdo it. 

My last memory of a running tour was at the age of 12, and is still somewhat of a trauma till this day. No, not because it was so horrible or painfull – it was just plain embarrassing. Cause at the age of 12 I cheated, and took a – non official –  shortcut through the woods. Like so many others (no excuse though) but silly enough I just did it right in front of the audience . As you can imagine, a dishonorable diskwalification was mine not to mention the humiliation. Still today I cannot explain what the hell came over me, we shall say I was temporarily insane due to fatigue or something…

Since then twenty years have passed, without me even thinking about participating at another running event. And still there I was, waiting for the start signal for my first 10K ever. And this time, I did run the whole official parcours till the end. So not only surprising myself on my athletic capabilities, since friday my childhood trauma has been washed away a bit. I imagine that after completing the full Knack Ladies Run cycle, I will be as good as new!

I am music

Seen Bart and me love, love, love music – we have seen more concerts than considered healthy for your hearing. Just in the last half year there was Madonna in Dodger Stadium – with Britney and Justin -, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin in House of Blues, PJ Harvey and John Parish, Prince in the Nokia Theatre, the Kaiser Chiefs to name a few.

So it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that we’re really looking forward to the new festival season. Although already way passed the average age at most (thank god for Werchter Classic!), for us it is a yearly tradition without which summer wouldn’t be really there.

This year festival season started early, with all the commotion about Regi/ Milk Inc who is going to close the Marquee. Personally, I don’t get the fuss. Live and let live is my motto, and as long as it is going to be a great party – I’ll be there dancing!

I know i am making a BIIIIIIIIG leap now, but Prince said it so beautiful at his concert in the Nokia Theatry – I DON’T PLAY MUSIC, I AM MUSIC – and the little man didn’t even sounded arrogant…. I think you agree if I say that for 99% of the musicians that stadium is still a galaxy away, but hey – can you blame a guy for trying?

Mrs O rules the world

The Obama’s are visiting Europe – and don’t we know it! Most of the newspapers this morning (thank you – internet) opened with a picture of the couple, stepping out of Airforce One. And no, it is not Barack who is creating the most uproar, it is Michelle Obama – who gets full on raves about her choosen outfits. There is the long black/white vist with black dress for the departure, the yellow dress with the black vest for the arrival, the green skirt with the very simple flowery cardigan for the visit to downing street 10. Whether I check the news on the Internet, or have breakfast here in LA – looking at CNN news broadcasts - everywhere I look I am confronted with all kinds of experts commenting on the outfits of Mrs O.

I admit, I am guilty as charged – I too love to look at the outfits of the wifes and gniffle – if needed – at their choices. However, can we please focus as soon as possible on the essence of the matter – the G20 meeting itself? And no, it is not created as a funny intermezzo before the highly publicised confrontation between Mrs O and Mrs Bruni – Sarkozy. Besides, lets not forget that the beauty of this first lady is way broader than the clothes, however beautiful and well choosen, she wears.