When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Yesterday evening, I’ve been asked to take up the role of a young man trying to get the hand of his beloved girl but facing his soon-to-be-father-in-law and watching him run away with his baby sister, in the upcoming theater play “When I win the lottery”.
We’ll start rehearsals probably in september and we’re playing in november 2009.
After portraying a senior citizen twice now, I’m looking forward to getting married on stage (although that particular scene isn’t in the script). I’ve been married to Roos Van Acker (on stage though!) before. Damaged goods, as they say…

I really wasn’t set on going this year.  Last year in March, during the long flight back home to Belgium, I had decided I would skip Austin a year.

Though SXSW08 was as packed and geeky as ever, me spending 3 days in bed with the famous South-by-Souhtwest-flu didn’t make it that good an experience.  And eventhough I love Derek and all his geekyness, the added Lightdsaber sounds (he was extracting bits from the original dvd’s for his session) during the little moments I was awake were not the ones I wanted to hear.

Thus, I would skip 2009.  Along came Producer’s Utopia.  The project actually started at SXSW08 when I met our US partner.  We launched the first beta of our main app during AFM in Santa Monica in November 08 and we’re working hard to improve and expand our universe towards a new release at Cannes 09.

The great team at Producer’s Utopia decided we couldn’t let Southby escape.  Not having booked a hotel or any flights became a nice added puzzle, but we figured it all out and indeed: on March 12th, Christopher Buckeridge and myself will be travelling back to Bush Country, or, Obamaland as it is now called (nbe: We were all together in LA on election day!).

On the way home (the 19th for me, the 21th for him), I won’t actually be flying back to Brussels.  Instead, I’ve taken this insane bet with our CFO that I would participate in the Monaco Marathon on March 24th.  I will only be starting in the 10km race, but still.  Not an easy task for a geek with my physique.

So, there it is.  Big plans for another big trip to the big land.  Excited as always and eager to learn what insane stuff the community has come up with this year.  I shall be sporting a Gold Badge, as I will be combining the Film and the Interactive festival.

(first) 9 holes; 19 points stableford (not bad)
with Philip De Sutter and Eddy Timmerman
+ hour-long lesson from pro Olivier

Recently, I started a facebook group about my golf club in Damme.
Pretty harmless, and with good intentions: members and “friends” of the club would be able to meet up, schedule a game, shares photos and… whatever we do on facebook, right?
Soon enough, the club management found out and expressed interest and concern about this group. I drove over to the clubhouse and had a very positive, good chat with the manager about facebook and social networking sites in general.
It left me to wonder what approach an organisation or a company should have towards social networking initiatives started without them being in control or at least involved. For this particular facebook group, we got to a fairly simple agreement, but what if indeed an organisation is faced with a less friendly initiative… Many will say that this is what the internet is all about and hence my fair share of time here in the digital era (I’ve been online since 1995!), I know what you mean. I’m a big supporter of free speech and the right to find and cooperate with your peers, but, still, what should the commercial approach be? What does the law say in this matter?
Anyone?

My girlfriend sells Nikon lenses in her photo shop.  I’ve always been surprised at the price she’s buying these and the very narrow margin she sells them at.  After seeing this youtube movie, I kinda know why…