Corne van Dooren - (Multimedia) Designer

September 27, 2005

The good news is that I am extremely busy at the moment. I am combining the work for my new employer with my own company (Project 79) and at this point it means working long days.

But that's okay, I'm handling it very well - making sure I don't take too much on my shoulders. Its also a nice thing to know my bank account will receive a boost for the next months. Something which comes in handy after I had to buy a new car... : )

On another note: the cover for Foundation XML for Flash can now be spotted on Amazon. I made this cover and it is the first in a range of covers for the Foundation book series by friends of ED.

Besides being very busy at Project 79 I am also enjoying my time at my new employer. The work is different from what I've done before but that's a blessing really. Its good to learn new things and to see how others are working the multimedia ground. So far, so good!

I'll post more news when I find some more free time to put something here.
For now; take care and all the best!

September 18, 2005

Last week I promised I would only put positive news on this website from then on. So here's the good news: as of tomorrow I am working for Andriessen and Partners. Its a company close to where I live that is very experienced in developing e-learning methods and systems.

I am very thrilled with the job at Andriessen and Partners and am looking forward working for them. I will combine this job with the work for my own company Project 79, which has also landed some neat work for the time to come.

Take care.

September 13, 2005

While I have been recovering from the crash by sporting quite a lot, my car insurance company (Amev) has finally started to get a value for my car and the final declaration that my car is total loss.

I will find out the final value next Monday (more than 2 weeks after the accident - hooray for Amev, who I will not use for my new car's insurance) but I have been given a temporary estimate.

Personally I feel the estimate is ridiculous. I always thought that if I was not to blame for an accident I would get enough money to buy a similar car as the car I was using during the accident.

How wrong was I... According to the so called expert from Amev I can buy a similar car with the money - but after visiting a total of 20 car-sites I honestly can't say I found the exact same car for that price - they were all more expensive.

And yes, you've read it right, I have bought a new car. Where Amev takes its time, I simply need a car so decided to buy a new one already. The new car of choice is not a Toyota Corolla as I could not find one that I liked. The new car is a Renault Scénic.

This will be my last message about the accident on this website. Just wanted to express my dissatisfaction with Amev and as this is my personal space why not put it here?! Promise I will put happier thought on the site from now on... ; )

Take care and all the best.

September 6, 2005

Today I have visited the doctor and found out I have some bruised body parts (shoulder and neck - causing the headaches) which should heal over the coming week or possibly two weeks.

I've also been at the car damage company to find out whether they will make the car or decide that I will get the car's value at the date of the crash.

At this moment it looks like its 90% sure I will get the car's value as it could be too expensive to fix my life-saver. On the right an image of the damage. The blue X's mark all parts that will have to be replaced. The red-to-yellow color indicates where the car was hit.

The front left of the car is pressed far into the car and funny (for as far that can be said in this situation) - they found the other driver's license-plate in my car! I'm guessing that was attached to my door and it was thrown in my car after the accident.

But it looks like I'll have to search for a new car then... That bugs me, because actually I had never before felt so safe in my car as when the accident was over and I could walk out of the car. I was hoping they could fix it.

Anyway, take care.

September 5, 2005

Yesterday after bringing Nadine to the trainstation my car (me in it) was hit in a car accident. I wanted to drive straight over a crossing when I was frontally hit by another car that didn't give me primacy where I did have just that.

Luckily it appears to be major damage to the cars, but not to myself or the other driver. I do have a headache today, my knees are red (hit the dashboard) and my neck feels tight.

At this point I think its the stress coming out, but if it doesn't improve I'll visit a doctor tomorrow to rule out a whiplash. Both cars needed to be towed away as the damage was pretty big. Too bad I didn't have my digital camera with me so you'd have an impression of the damage.

I was pretty shaken up as it was my very first accident. Last Thursday I had just made it seven years without an accident. Even though this accident was not my fault it does end my clean record. : (

At this point my car will be looked at to define whether it is totall or can be made. I certainly hope they can fix it, because yesterday my Toyota Corolla has saved my life by taking the big blow and allowing me to leave the car safely. I will never doubt my Toyota Corolla ever again - I love that car! ; )

Take care and take it easy...

September 4, 2005

Today me and Nadine have been to an animal-parc called Beekse Bergen, which is a 20-minute-drive from where I live.

First we walked through the parc, then we did what everyone should do when going to this parc: drive your car through the parc to get really close to the animals - including lions and other dangerous species.

We had a good day of fun!

September 2, 2005

Last month I asked all of the Dutch visitors of this website to send a text message to new TV station Talpa because I was in one of their contests. Thanks to your overwhelming support I made the final Top 10 of about 8000 entries! With ten prices to give (ranging from 10.000 Euro to Will Smith DVD's) I have however won nothing at all.

The winners would be contacted by Talpa before August 31. As I have only been contacted by a fake John de Mol in my message board I think it's safe to say I have not won anything at all.

I would like to apologize to everyone who has generously donated a text message for my entry. We came close and got many votes but it just wasn't to be...

September 1, 2005

First of september, time to check whether my marketing strategy to get more Dutch people to visit this site has worked. And it has. I've had about 150.000 visitors last months and 76% was Dutch!

The Project 79 website (my own company) attracted a record of 350.000 visitors. Together that means I've received 500.000 visitors last month! Blimey! Something I didn't get - there was also a big growth in Australian visitors. I think it's very cool though as Australia looks like the most interesting country in the world to me and it would definately be my favourite country of choice if I was to work abroad.

Every month I am just amazed by the visits I get. It wonders me why people visit the site and how they got here in the first place. For instance, the site was visited 100 times by Brazilian people and visited 300 times by people from India. How does someone in Brazil or India find the website of a simple Dutch guy like myself?

Anyway, enough bothering you with statistics. I am sorry to post this, but it keeps amazing me how many people visit this website and I just wanted all visitors of this website to know that appreciate their visit.

Take care.

September 1, 2005

For a few years now I am a big fan of the British comedy Coupling. I think its a brilliant show and can't get enough of it - even though it is hard to follow from the Netherlands.

New Dutch broadcaster Talpa has started showing the American version of this comedy. I am very sorry I decided to check it out. The American version really degrades the original English version.

It's too polished, too unreal and the acting is just horrible and I'll make sure I never see another second of the American version... Damn Talpa, next time buy the great version and not the horrible American garbage.

Take care.

UPDATE: Talpa cancelled the show after two episodes because of poor ratings! Yeeha! Now bring on the UK version!

Corne van Dooren, Multimedia Designer