Antwerp city: a town frozen solid

Doesn’t snow make for the prettiest pictures? The crisp feel of clean air, that invigorating cold rousing the senses. You’re looking at a recent shot of a rare occurrence: frozen snow permanently covering the branches of these downtown Antwerp (Belgium) city trees.

On the other hand, this Antwerp snow was accompanied with temperatures as low as -10°C/14°F. A frozen snow cover that started in December and has been ongoing through January. With numerous people crashing their cars on icy or snow-gridlocked highways. With senior citizens breaking their bones on treacherous town sidewalks. With thousands of underprivileged locals ending up losing all heating.

So I’m feeling utterly ambivalent about all this pretty snow. And maybe, so are you.

Antwerp: ice skating into 2010

City PR loves these smiling, seasonal skating snapshots, taken in front of city hall. And obviously, I’ve always posted to please

Christmas in Antwerp, Belgium: the recycled 2009 edition

Christmas in Antwerp, Belgium (photoshopped city image from 2006)

This year, the start of the Yule-tide season managed to surprise me, in a “wow, I actually survived it all” sort of way. Looking back during these weeks leading up to Christmas, 2009 became a pivotal year, one that made me reassess my priorities, and frequently, blogging was not one of them.

Although most major annual celebrations do have a certain amount of repetitiveness that is essentially inherent to the occasion, I was able to geographically relocate my Christmas 2009 celebrations. And that became basically a relief: I’ll enjoy a seasonal dinner in the company of a few select loved ones, while the loud, overcrowded, downtown public Antwerp Christmas of 2009 (a recession-hit copy of last year’s event) will most likely pass me by unnoticed. Feel free to browse some of my recycled 2008 Antwerp Christmas images and have yourself a memorable & peaceful festive season.

Antwerp Calling: counting down to 500,000

Within a couple of weeks (somewhere early Dec), this blog will have reached 500,000 readers. A joyous moment I will celebrate by over-dosing on Belgian chocolates, an experience you can share by mailing me a print-screen if you happen to be reader #500,000.

Nevertheless, I”m experiencing the slow but persistent emergence of doubt about the value of personal “user generated content” (like in blogging) from the viewpoint of me, the author. After two years I often feel like I’ve become an unpaid copywriter & photographer.

Not that I ever wanted or needed to earn one cent through blogging, but still, being an inspired author covering a multitude of subjects regarding Antwerp, I used to put in a lot of time and effort, with currently only rising numbers of anonymous drive-by visitors in return.  Visitors who just devour my content and click “next blog” 20 seconds later.

Many bloggers with a consumptive audience have already switched to alternative and more personal, more interactive social media like Facebook, with blogging slowly becoming a one way street I’m increasingly uncomfortable with. [Check the 1/10/100 rule]

At present I’m taking a yet undefined break – I’m still pondering the issue, looking at the options and will decide how to proceed when I return (“an Antwerp picture blog” was suggested, as I own thousands of shots), but I do wonder if anyone feels or has felt the same. [Update Sat Nov 28, 2009: the 500,000 visitor mark was reached around 4 am (GMT+1). Thanks for being such loyal readers.]

Kate Ryan – Evidemment: dedicated to those who lost someone, but continued loving

Antwerp singer Kate Ryan performing “Evidemment”: dedicated to those who lost someone, but continued loving. Did you?

[Kate performed near my home last summer and we briefly met. She still dedicates her music to the memory of her mother]

Is Facebook killing off your blog too?

Much like in “Video killed the radio star”, Facebook (and Twitter, and all the other Web 2 networking sites) has been killing off countless local Antwerp blogs this year. I was stunned counting the sheer number of fellow bloggers who no longer bother to post, since Facebook is a much easier medium, providing a personalized, targeted audience, fast comments & lots of interaction.  Are you still blogging?

If you are, do check my visitor counter: when it reaches 500,000 make sure to mail me a print-screen. I still got some chocolates left and I’m looking forward to join you in celebrating having been read by half a million visitors.

Exclusive Video: the planned destruction of Antwerp, Belgium

Watch how bent politicians are planning the factual destruction of large populated areas of Antwerp city. How would you react?

[Update: Antwerp VLD politician Ludo V.C. (in spite of a strong YES vote by his party) and Antwerp Mayor Patrick J. decided to follow their personal conscience and will vote NO in the upcoming referendum regarding this planned killer project. I admire and applaud their honest concern for the wellbeing of their fellow Antwerp citizens. Let's all bury this insane destruction of Antwerp-city under an avalanche of NO votes October 18. Update 18 Oct 2009: during a city referendum today 60% of Antwerp voters rejected the "Lange Wapper" overpass/bridge (the threshold being 50%). What happens next will be decided by the government in Brussels]

Never disappoint your audience: rule one of lasting success

And if you must, do everything to fake you really care about your audience (video: Georges Michael parody). Dedicated to a former local friend who was forced to fake who she really was too. Would you renounce your true nature or beliefs for cash?

Antwerp: erotic underwear model promotes riding a bike

During national car-free day last weekend, Antwerp city used this “woman” dressed in erotic underwear to promote “riding a bike” near the riverbanks. She gave me a free photo shoot, although several shots are way too provocative to post at this place.

Come on guys, try riding a bike dressed like this

Thank you for loving me again ;-)

With Facebook & Twitter unfortunately luring away most of my readers, I wonder what I said to please you today