1) Where did you begin 2009?
in the livingroom of our old apartment in Rijswijk, surrounded by friends and champagne.
2) What was your status by Valentine’s Day?
Married
3) Were you in school (anytime this year)?
Nope. I’m done with that for a while I hope.
4) How did you earn your money?
By working 
5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
No
6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
No
7) Where did you go on vacation?
Because we bought a house, we didn’t really go on vacation. Our vacations were, just like last year: Dessel, Belgium – for Graspop Metal Meeting. And in August we went to Biddinghuizen, The Netherlands, for Lowlands festival.
8- What did you purchase that was over $1000?
Our couch, for starters. And also a lot of money on other furniture, of which the couch was the most expensive, I think. We spent a lot of money this year!
9) Did you know anybody who got married?
Johanna’s sister Elina. We ran into her last night at her wedding party.
10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
No
12) Did you move anywhere?
Yes, to Nuttyville. Buying and decorating and going to live in the new house was a HUGE thing this year. We’ve been settling in and making ourselves comfortable ever since.
13) What concerts/shows did you go to?
Enter Shikari @ Melkweg (23 January)
Dragonforce @ Melkweg (29 January)
All That Remains @ Melkweg (13 February)
Sabaton/Hammerfall @ 013 (27 February)
Graspop Metal Meeting @ Dessel, Belgium (26 June)
(notably: Slipknot, Parkway Drive, Trivium, All That Remains)
A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise @ Biddinghuizen (21 August)
(notably: The Prodigy, White Lies, Lily Allen)
In Flames @ Melkweg (16 November)
Enter Shikari/The Prodigy @ HMH (23 November)
Gare du Nord @ Paard van Troje (28 November)
Biffy Clyro @ Melkweg (18 December)
14) Where do you live now?
Nootdorp – near the Hague in the Netherlands
15) Describe your birthday
Tijs and Aurélie came over to hang out and wait for midnight together. We had booze and laughs and talkes and we watched some movies. It was nice <3
The actual celebration was a shared one with Olli and Brenda a couple of days later. We had a BBQ and sat in the garden till 4am. Lots of fun!
16) What have you done in 2008 that you’ve never done before in your life?
- Signed up for bass guitar lessons
- Played the bass guitar
- Celebrated Halloween
- Drive around in a company car
- Get a parking ticket (see above 
)
…that’s not that many achievement points this year I see! Oh well. 
17) What has been your favorite moment?
I have a couple. But just sitting in the garden with my laptop in early spring, while Olli was drumming in the garage, and realizing how UNIQUE that was, was a pretty damn good moment. The other moment was Brenda and me walking back to the others after the Slipknot concert, I think. Hand in hand, weaving through 30,000 people, breathless and happy.
18) What’s something you learned about yourself?
I was re-established in my knowledge of the fact that I shut down when I’m not feeling happy. I sleep like shit, I drift through life in complete escapism, and try not to think. But meanwhile it’s eating away at me and all creativity and sharing open-ness comes to a screeching halt.
19) What lessons in life did 2009 teach you?
Whatever plans you have for your life, forget it. It always goes differently, and people and goals change. But there is nothing wrong with that.
20) Any new additions to your family?
Only if you count the Popmundo kids
21) What was your best month?
August. Two weeks of freedom, beach, BBQ and Lowlands festival.
22) What music will you remember 2009 by?
The Prodigy, Disarmonia Mundi.
23) Who has been your best drinking buddy?
Olli, Lie and Brenda. I’m not going to choose.
24) Made new friends?
Hmmm…. nope! I’ve been thinking but I can’t think of anyone who’s here this year who wasn’t there last year…
25) Favorite Night out?
The last night of Graspop Metal Meeting. When we boozed it up and danced in the Metal dome till 4 in the morning because we didn’t want the festival to be over. We had SO much fun!
26) Will you end this year with the same mate you started it with?
I hope so, haha 
27) What are your plans for Christmas?
chilling out, eating food, visit the parents & inlaws, having dinner with friends.
28) What are your plans and hopes for 2010?
I think I’m going to continue on the note of last year, I liked those resolutions. In 2010 I will be doing things I like with people I love, having a great time. Is there ever anything else? Love, music, friends…. and just plainly HAVING FUN.
So now it’s time for the 2009 AWARDS
Band of the Year:
The Prodigy. Damn, they blew my mind twice, at Lowlands and in the Heineken Music Hall. It was an igniting of a fondness, now blazing like fiery love.
Funnily enough if I check my last.fm I’ve listened more to Disarmonia Mundi and Enter Shikari. But that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
Album of the Year:
Not Killswitch Engage or Enter Shikari, although they were excellent. I think the album that I’m growing to love the most at the moment is Biffy Clyro’s “Only Revolutions.”
Movie of the Year:
A tossup between “District 9″ and the surprisingly excellent “Paranormal Activity”.
Festival of the Year:
Graspop. Hands down. The music was generally better, as was the atmosphere. Oh, not to mention the beer and the logistics. So yeah, graspop.
Festival Concert of the Year:
The Prodigy@ Lowlands 2009.
Blew my mind. It was seriously so good, I had expected to have a good time, but this pushed all my buttons. It was relentless energy, a raging crowd, and (rawr) Keith! Runners-up: Slipknot, and Trivium at Graspop.
non-Festival Concert of the Year:
I’m going to stay consistent here, but this award ALSO goes to the Prodigy & Enter Shikari at the Heineken Music Hall. And of the two, the Prodigy was the best. I danced the hardest at Prodigy gigs this year. Gig-wise, 2009 wasn’t outstanding, but I’ve had a lot of fun times. And the Prodigy wins, hands down.
Musical Disappointment of the Year:
The Editors – “In This Light And On This Evening”. I liked you, Editors!! I loved you, even. What have you DONE?!
Best TV Series of the Year:
Lost was consistently so good, I can’t wait for the last season to start. It was a disappointment to see every episode end. Honourable mention & discovery of 2009: Supernatural. AWESOME stuff.
Turns out that bass guitars have a battery in them as well, for connection to your amp or something. My Rebel’s battery was empty, so I played with the bass of my teacher. Oh. My. God. It played so lovely!! Its strings are close to the neck so I didn’t have to press this hard, but most of all, it had a slender neck. It really sucks to have stump fingers like me when you want to play bass.
