Finishing off the fashion week. At the RAI the big modefabriek exhibition takes place. Many many fashion and accessory providers have their stands here. Fashionally done of course.... Nice to meet the Axcent importers again who where displaying the watches big time.

The other things arriving today were from www.koyono.com. A couple of zipperd t-shirts, a backpack for the powerbook and a slim wallet arrived within 10 days from the US. The online current outstanding item is the www.podbrix.com Woz tshirt. The world truely has become overseeable...all from the convenience of the living room...

Mini is one of the sponsors of the Amsterdam International Fashion Week. The provided 8 mini's to transport the visitors between the parking and the Westergasfabriek. One of them was the mini convertible, driven open even around freezing..being a open driver myself....

over 20 new Dutch designers came to understand the issues around funding. The Dutch Creative Industry Fund was asked to present the private equity opportunity for entrepreneurs. Different world as opposed to the digital creative industry....

Hardware and especially gadgetstyle hardware is often blingbling appealing. On the otherhand the software that comes with the machinery often drives the true power, namely the applications. Today the updated version of iLife arrived, the 06 version. Whilst it will take some time to explore new features and the new iWeb application, the vignetting in iPhoto is a definite nice effect. Expect more rounded edges :)

My professional activities include attending nice dinners with interesting speakers and company. today it was no different at the annual dinner of the Dutch Telecom Society. In a pleasent surround speakers from KPN, McKinsey and BNN shared their viewpoints on the converging and altering telecom landscape. The one that had the best personal outlook was Ton aan de Stegge, who benefited from the speed that incumbent KPN can make....

James Veenhoff and the team of the Amsterdam International Fashion Week (www.aifw.nl) have created an entertaining and high quality event. A great representation of the Dutch Creative Industry. The opening event was well organised and full with interesting people and activity.

Getting ready means on the one hand slipping into something appropriate and on the otherhand ensuring that Roderick is in safe hands. With Sarah the latter is no issue, and our little boy was keen to introduce her into the wonderful world of Floris....

Running an investment fund requires a keen eye for opportunities, but also dealing with the complexity of the background frameworks. Therefore it pays to have different skills and viewpoints around, complementing each other.

Discussing the creative industries in a creative environment might become too much for some.... Caroline and I enjoyed our company and the singing. the event took place in a converted swiming pool in The Hague, well done indeed.

The introduction of tools has always done a lot for the egocaster. The fountain pen has liberated writing and gave many the opportunity to put their thoughts, observations, designs and sofort in Moleskines. The iPod and all the ecosystem that came/comes/will come with it, also has liberated the production of radio. Many new ventures will emerge in this growing space. As always will it be the important task to pick the right ones. The other element of course it that the 'incumbent' technologies will live on for quite while....

Doing a lot in zone020/070 (or abroad) in high tech multigadget and always on environments, today was a day first into zone030 and finally in zone0343, a zone that shares the quality of high tech and the tranquility and inspiration of the forest.

Finishing off a day full of creativity in zone 070 in a lab environment...table football instead to the real thing.... and coming weeks it will be hard to do some football given that many Thursdaynight appointments are on the itinerary....

Not only zone020 is developing creativity and cross media. In 070 many activities are taking place....

When he designed the logo for the Dutch Creative Industry Fund, Redgoat's Frank Schippers took the symbol for invention and innovation as basis of the design. Today was spent on creativity and innovation, therefore when changing a lightbulb....couldn't resist to take the picture.

Chairing conferences I quite like, especially if the conference is on topics within the TIME sector. Today I was chairing a conference on Signalling, an important element of telecommunications with the network boilerroom. Next to some very interesting presentations from leading organisations in the field as Telecom Italia, BT, HP and Cisco, there were discussions between the participants on the value and value chain of the industry. Also I probably saw the longest email address ever from FOKUS.

The nice thing of living in the museum quarter is that is is convenient to go to the museum! The Van Gogh has a nice exposition on animals and Roderick and Gina had a great time. Followed by poffertjes at the square and playing with the skates.

Niece Gina is visting for the weekend, implying lots of activity, including of course Artis. Both got a cuddly Artis de Partis, that so goes the story ensures that all animals will be friend with you...

In high paced environments it becomes very efficient to have some guidance, analysis and radarfunctions. PWC has done thorough research leading to a 5 year perspective of the Entertainment and Media industry, important elements of the creative industry. Wothwhile read indeed.

The Powerbooks are superb machines for presenting the digital age and its opportunities. There will be many elements that require to be marked in the online world and discussed with peers.

The long awaited podcast friend is back! Given that I had the only demo model of the Microtrack 2496 in Europe, meant I could only use it for a few weeks. Now Vladimir Kastelan has sent me the one to keep. So expect more podcasts to appear on www.blognomics.nl.

The drooly wheather could not make the day less interesting. Constructive sessions to move the creative industries further with strong partners that can and will make a difference.

Is it time to change or not? That is the big question now Steve Jobs has introduced the new Apple Macbook Pro.The new laptops will be hitting the streets in February. I got my Powerbook only 2.5 months ago.... Frontrow and the remote control are appealing additions...

The software updates, especially iLife '06, appear to be very interesting with built-in podcasting and blogging support.....

In 020 three organisations had there new year drink, iPan, IAB and 212. In an animated get-together a couple of 100 people from the digital creative industry met to discuss the plans and ideas for '06. iLife and iWorks as one might say.

A location the Dutch creative industy will appreciate more and more over time was chosen as the shareholdermeeting hotspot this time. From the 18th floor we had an magnificent overview over good old 020 and the new creative industry's developments like pakhuis de zwijger. The overview offered the foudantion for reflecting. Key element in shareholdermeetings is foreward reflection and the love for new stuff. Followed of course by a dinner in Fifteen the offspring of the UK restaurant.

Holidays are good to sort out things that need to be done, but don't get done normally. Such as sorting out digital television, but also creating '06's transport. A Vespa will be added later this quarter to create a mode of transportation for in and around town. Roderick is quite keen, also since he wants to have a helmet....

The digital TV from UPC has arrived today adding another box around the tv set and of course another remote control. The ease of installation was great and the picture quality very good. In short a welcome addition to what I have around already with broadband and television from Versatel (settop and remote) xbox with remote, Cisco/Linksys Mediaadapter (wit remote), Sony Television and VCR (with remotes) and on and on.... Knowing myself it will not end here this year with promises from Apple around the corner, the xBox 360 just out, the PS3 still to come... In all I am very happy that I convinced Caroline to take the television out of the cabinet to cater for all the new editions. A central remote and more Scarts would be welcome editions....

Going to the market with Roderick is really great fun and ever increasing as he is discovering the world around him. After having seen the seals eat fish and yesterday visiting the zoo, fish is on top of his mind all the time. He quite likes fish too, which is of course convenient, on top of that he shares not liking squid with his dad. Coincidence?

the great thing being a friend of Artis is that you can visit the zoo all year long as often as you want. Even in winter it is great to go there with Roderick to see what is happening.

At the New Year's reception of the Chamber of Commerce of Amsterdam, I was asked to present The Dutch Creative Industry Fund and give an outline of the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs in the digital creative industries.

Joost Veenhoff of the Amsterdam Fashion week and I shared one of the session visited by some 150 attendees interested in the topic. We were both stood a little out of the crowd by our clothing. Joost much more then I of course with a suit made of jeans material from Japan and made by new tailor of Amsterdam. I was wearing a corduroy jacket....

Later we spoke to Bernadette Veenhof, an entrepreneur in the creative industry that shared some of her work with us.

2006 will have lots of opportunities for the creative sector and might transfer some of the innovation and flair into other industries.

The Dutch landscape and its preservation have much in common with the telecommunications sector. Sometimes a sector needs to go through some growing pains for the benefit of the whole of the nation. There will be many benefitting from a good telecommunications infrastructure in our country, not at least the creative industries.

We started the new year of by a visit to Texel. So much nature was overwhelming for all of us, especially all the animals we saw. Roderick was especially excited by the seals and Michael's dog.