Happy 2011, hope it’s as good as 2010

WordPress, PHP, PodsCMS, API’s..

In backend development, 2010 was the year I embraced PodsCMS, talked a lot with Scott Kingsley Clark about it, built Highlifeplus.com on it and did a presentation on it. Also learned a lot from Geert Vanbommel, my soo to be partner-in-crime, about PHP, SOAP, cURL etc.. lots of new tricks in my hat.

Also, 2010 was the year I even became more & more involved in the WordPress community, attending WordCamp San Francisco, meeting up with Matt Gibbs (originator PodsCMS), meeting lots of interesting people (among which Matt Mullenweg), learning a lot in the sessions by e.g. Joseph Scott among others, seeing Richard Stallman ‘perform’ and having free drinks in the Automattic Lounge at the Pier. Was a great holiday in California alltogether btw, visiting Sequoiah National Park & Kings Canyon National Park, walking on the beach at Santa Monica, biking the bridge in San Francisco and so much more.

Conferences and great people I met

It was also there, in conversation with Matt, I promised I’d do something back for the WP Community. A Belgian WordCamp has not happened, but I did a presentation on PodsCMS at WordCampNL. I met lots of great people there, first of all the other speakers who stayed at the same hotel as I did, Andrew Nacin, Isaac Keyet, John O’Nolan, Zé.. and the organisers Erno and Kaj who I’d been in contact with for some time. And lots of others like Luc, Veerle & Werner, Annejan, Joost, Roy, Richard, Remkus, Coen, Bjorn etc.. (sorry for whom I forgot, there are a few more..) where I found the same passion for WordPress as I have, and still very regularly chat with over twitter or mail.

At home, with Hanne & Kaat

At home, as said, it was not always easy finding a balance between family and work, something I’d like to change drastically in 2011, cause it literally made me sick in the end. Also some developments at my workplace are not helping, so maybe I should start freelancing more.
But we, Hanne & I, saw our daughter, now 1.5yrs old, having more and more fun, learned how to walk (and fall ;) ) and seeing her grow up as a lovely, funny, smiling young girl.

In the last week of December I put together a sort of Best of 2010 list, with music, websites, fonts, etc.. here it is. Here’s what makes Tom Hermans tick, where I get my inspiration (among lots and lots of other graphics, music, bookmarks etc..)

Best of 2010 in music according to me

Here’s the list in Top-5 style (anyone seen High Fidelity?), I even put all top-5’s (and the extra’s) in one YouTube playlist, convenient right ?

Top 5 singles:

1. Ellie Goulding – Under the sheets (Jakwob remix)
2. Magnetic Man – I need air
3. Crookers ft. Yelle – Cooler couleur
4. Opposites – Licht uit
5. The Ting Tings – Hands

Top 5 Belgian :

1. Selah Sue – Raggamuffin (+ There’s no sunshine-cover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkKkgSR8QPI&NR=1 )
2. Amatorski – The King
3. Aeroplane – We Can’t Fly
4. Customs – Justine
5. Mintzkov – Opening fire

further very okay for me: Jay-Z feat Alicia Keys – Empire state of mind, I Blame Coco – Self Machine, Isbells – As long as it takes, Eliza Doolittle – Pack Up, Editors – No Sound But the Wind, Absynthe Minded – Envoi, James Blake – Limit To Your Love, Duffy – Well Well Well, Editors – Papillon, Lykke Li – Get some, Mumford and Sons – Little Lion Man, Vampire Weekend – Horchata, Gorillaz – Stylo, The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio, Tame Impala – Solitude Is Bliss, Martin Solveig & Dragonette – Hello, Regina Spektor – Laughing With, The whitest boy alive – Burning, Two door cinema club – Something good can work, Radical Slave – Before we got rich

Top 5 party tracks:

1. Partyharders vs The Subs – Pope of dope
2. Fake Blood – I think I like it
3. Congorock -Babylon
4. Yolanda be cool & Dcup – We no speak Americano

other : M.I.A. – XXXO, Goose – Words, David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi – Memories, Stromae – Alors on danse, Laserkraft 3D – Nein mann, Rihanna – Rude Boy (Nine DnB remix), Nas & Damian Marley – As We Enter, Swedish House Mafia – One, Duck Sauce – Barbra Streisand

Top 5 albums :

1. Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Amatorski – Same Stars We Shared EP
4. The National – High Violet
5. Crookers – Massive EP

Gig of the year : Major Lazer @ Pukkelpop 2010
Best gig ourselves (Ikeman & Funky-T) : Longman 2010, Zoersel

Guilty pleasures : Kesha – Tik Tok, Tom Waes – Dos cervezas

Compilation of the year : Rock Ahoy – Katia’s Pirate Station (3xCD, with Humo)

website(s) of the year : twitter.com, fffound.com
nice website of the year : Kaleidoscope, IronToIron, YouKnowWho, CampaignMonitor, Chirp, too many to mention, will dedicate a seperate post to that

accomplishment of the year : speaking at WordCampNL about WordPress development (action-pic)
2nd accomplishment of the year (non-web) : got my driver’s license (1st try ! )

Musical trend of the year: Dubstep (awesome bird guide to dubstep dancing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CgT4N0zU1M
Annoying musical trend of the year: too much ‘bad’ soul music, next to the increasing output of commercial garbage (BEP, Gaga,Bieber et co..) of course

Hit danced along with my daughter the most : Johny Cash – A boy named Sue (Kaat really loves that song)
Best practical joke : when a beautiful girl came to the dj booth, I let her sing/breathe in my neck “I know you want me” 4 or 5 times, pretending not to understand it (Pitbull – I know you want me)

Mixtape of the year : tie between Magnetic Man Essential Mix / Major Lazer Essential Mix