Inspire

My Top 10 Movies of 2008

Ever year I share my favorite movies of the year with my readers. Here are the years 2007, 2006 and 2005. What strikes me is that the years 2007 and 2006 seem to resonate more with me relative to 2008. I am wondering if my readers have experienced the same of something different. Here goes for top10 favorite movies of the year 2008:

1. Il y a longtemps que je t'aime
2. Secret Sunshine
3. Cloud Nine
4. The Dark Knight
5. No Country for Old Men
6. I'm not there
7. Die Stille Vor Bach
8. Auf Der Anderen Seite
9. Waltz with Bashir
10. Persepolis

Some movies didn't make my top10 list but are IMO still very interesting to watch:

• Into The Wild
• Entre Les Murs 
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Soon the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2009 will start at January 21th, 2009. 10 days of exploring all kinds of new movies. Always a great adventure to me, a way of traveling with your own mind and heart. This will be my 14th year in a row to experience this highly interesting film festival. I will blog the highlights again like every year since 2005.

Leaving SPRXmobile

A few weeks ago I decided to leave SPRXmobile. This has been a very difficult and emotional decision.

It has been a very challenging and demanding roller coaster ride with both many highs and lows like in any start-up and perhaps even a little more. And it is not all a projection of my personality I would say ;-) The key highlights for the SPRXmobile team in my view are the deliverables with NOS Mobile and Vodafone Mobile Clicks 2008 with its grand final at the PICNIC event. I will remember this with a positive note.

As all insiders know, a lot has happened within the team. This impacted me considerably in different ways. The main reason for me to leave this startup though is a different point of view in relation to the company basics, strategy and its future. When this becomes structural it necessiates to take responsibility.

After resolving all remaining issues for SPRXmobile, I will be focusing my energy, love and attention on giving presentations and workshops as well as new projects concerning mobile internet as well as online marketing (my roots, especially sales-driven campaigns and conversion optimization). And as some of you would probably expect, I will continue my work on trends within the Metaverse and Multiverse and the future with biotech, nanotech, robotics, cognitive neuroscience and sustainability. After my role within NEMO 2028 and the Innovation Platform this week I discovered that my role will probably gradually shift towards more projects with more societal implications.

Furthermore, my work (sponsoring as well as some keynote speakers) within the Mobile Monday Amsterdam team will continue as this still generates a lot of positive vibes and inspiration for me.

No hard feelings, I learned more than 3 years before both privately and professionally, "dingen gaan zoals ze gaan" and hereby I wholeheartedly wish Claire Boonstra, Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald and Raimo van der Klein a highly successful future with Zcapes and SPRXmobile.

Keep On Rising!

35 Years Old

Before the age of 35 we live in a world of unbounded risk, possibilities and growth
After the age of 35 we experience our limitations and restrictions as well as disease and death around us

Before the age of 35 we act and participate spontaneously and exploratory
After the age of 35 we reflect and live with purpose

Before the age of 35 we focus on ourselves, ego and taking
After the age of 35 we focus on others, mind and giving

At the age of 35 we not only understand our past but can also see into the future as we are symbolically on top of the curve of our lives, bringing the core of our being into existence. The awareness of scarcity of time, fragility and humanity come to the fore.

Reminds me of the band K's Choice singing:

"Now everything I feel
Whether it's fiction or it's real
It's so much clearer
Like the color of this light
It seems more dangerous and bright
But I don't fear her"

Recap and My Top 12 Movies of 2007

After a very hectic working period I am back with some reviews of the year 2007 and some predictions.  I will jumpstart with my top 12 favorite movies for this year.

But first a recap and a necessary explanation for my readers. In November, there was among others the third Mobile Monday Amsterdam event (again successful with 220 attendants), my presentation on Nijenrode University on digital marketing within the Metaverse (this link on SlideShare for the whole presentation), my whole-day workshop at HRO on the Metaverse, different columns for Emerce, Reclameweek, Marketingfacts, Energize, ICSB as well as FEM Business ranging from marketing, communications, trends, web 2.0 and the best books for managers on digital media. Furthermore, my Twitter life didn't stop due to its incredible richness and innovativeness (last night was special due to the spontaneous OLPC campaign (One Laptop Per Child) resulting in 17 free laptops for the poorest in our world). Furthermore, I have visited Valencia in Spain (great city, architecture, food and atmosphere outstanding Felipe Science Museum, especially on genetics) and Paris (LeWeb3 event with some fantastic speeches by Nokia (their OVI release is a key milestone on the evolution of the mobile internet relative to Google and Apple), Doc Searls, Joi Ito, Hans Rosling, Jason Calacanis, Friis, Dave Winer, Ragmaswami). Here can see all the videos / presentations from LeWeb3, recommended viewing. On top of that was my 'normal freelance 40-hour work week' at Direct Wonen doing my digital marketing and redesign tricks, so you can probably imagine why there was no time left for me to blog :-)

And now...my top 12 movies of the year 2007:

1. Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. The Prestige
4. Atonement
5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
6. Sound of Sand
7. Transe
8. Last King of Scotland
9. Becoming Jane
10. Control
11. Sketches of Frank Gehry
12. Eastern Promises

So what are your favorites of the year ?

My Favorite Music : Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

My favorite poem: The Origin

This time nothing techy, rational, scientific, geeky, professional or abstract but something more personal. My favorite poem in Dutch written by Simon Vinkenoog (apologies to my English readers). I would like to contribute this poem to my daughter Moana, Nathalie and Maaike. We co-created the experiences stated below, sometimes multiple times, and rediscovered our true nature.

     "nog geen vorm of gestalte gekregen

      nog niets gezegd of gezwegen

      niets dan harmonie der sferen

      alles voor de eerste keer

      nieuw, onverlet, schoon en zuiver

 

      waar orde rijmt op regelmaat

      waar chaos ook heerst en catastrofe

      geen beneden of boven

      de oereigenste staat 

      waar is, wat niet is

      en ook overal nergens

      waar ruimte niet danst met tijd

      een en al open werkelijkheid

      waar smart nog niet heeft toegeslagen

      waar alle lasten lusten dragen

      waar winden waaien die niemand hoort

      en geen onvertogen woord

      het ruisen van de stilte stoort

      waar woorden zich wiegen op willig papier

      geen verleden of toekomst, alles is hier

      waar alle maskers vallen

      en alle wegen zich versmallen

      waar de weg zich vanzelf wijst

      en de reis haar bestemming vindt 

      waar de cirkel zich vanzelf sluit

      en een mens met zijn oorsprong verbindt"