My, myself and I

Well to get started, my name, if you haven't guessed it by now, is Joost. What do I do for food? I am currently an IT manager at a company which provides Global Distribution Services and travel solutions. It sounds boring, I know, but It really isn't. I am also the owner of a small company that specializes in media consulting. This (obviously) wasn't always the case.

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The story began "many moons ago" in a far off land known to many as the Netherlands, where I spent most of my life, unless you count my personal influence on internet packets that have traversed the world on my behalf. I was born in Amsterdam - the city of canals and bikes (and a lot of other 'stuff') - in 1970. I'll let you do the math.

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I will not bother you with details about my study and career, especially knowing that the average web-surfer's attention span is very limited.

 

Beat mixing

I was always passionated by music. Inspired by master mixer Ben Liebrand I started beat mixing in the eighties. It all started out really innocent with experimenting with music in my bedroom. Things got out of hand when a friend convinced me to play some of my mixes on the radio. Unexpectedly, this became a success and suddenly their was a high demand for my musical creations. Several of my mixes even ended up as bootlegs on vinyl and cd (these mixes weren't released through or by me). Well one thing led to another and before I knew it I was invited to perform live at clubs as well. To avoid (permanent) hearing damage I stopped with live mixing in 2001. I still mix occasionally, but that is limited to computer mixing in my digital recording studio.

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Radio

Ever since I was really young, I was fascinated by the magic of radio. When I was nine years old I knew I wanted to be a radio DJ/producer and I held onto that thought with such belief until it actually happened. My first appearance on the 'magic box' was at the age of 12. I really love every aspect of making radio. During my school years I spend most of my (spare) time on it. In the early nineties I even became a FM radio station manager in my leisure time. Since 2005 I own a radio station that transmits through the internet across the globe.

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Computer

No, It didn't start with a Commodore 64. My first computer was a Sinclair ZX80 (with a 16Kb memory expansion unit), which I got as a gift in 1980. I hadn't even turned ten at that time, but computers had gained my interest from that point on. In 1989 I realized my first MIDI setup to hook my audio equipment to my computer. In 1991 I started a Bulletin Board System called "The MotherBoard", so I was able to keep up with the latest software. I don't know if you can call me a geek because I don't code (anymore), and except for the occasional titles, I have a general disinterest in gaming as it were. Nowadays I use my computer mainly for audio editing, digital photography and internet.

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Internet

I took my first steps on the internet in the early nineties through an internet gateway, which was connect to a packet radio network I was active on. I was fascinated by this phenomenon, although it was still text based. In 1993 I got my first dialup account and discovered the beta version of the Mosaic browser, which made web browsing with a graphical user-interface possible. Since then, I am 'addicted' to the internet. In my day time job I am, amongst a lot of other things, responsible for developing internet solutions, so I am getting my proper doses.

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Photography

I got my first (6x6) camera from my parents when I was very young, but my real interest in photography grew out of travel. With my first (totally manual) Topcon reflex camera It became more serious. Over the years photo's of my got published in books, in magazines, and as postcards. Lately I only use Canon analogue and digital camera's for my creative expression, but I own Leica and Olympus photo equipment as well.

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Videography

I'm relatively new to film making. My interest in this subject began at student film festival I visited in the nineties. I was invited by a friend to watch his final exam assignment for the Dutch Film Academy. After viewing several student movies, I knew I wanted to make a professional film myself one day. I recently started to make a documentary, but it is far from finished. I currently use a digital Canon 3-CCD camera.

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Movies

I love movies. It's as simple as that. The simple joy of watching, became a passion. I like going to the cinema, but watching a DVD movie at home can be exciting as well. My favorite movies mostly share the same ingredients; bright script, plot twists, great cinematography, top acting, and preferably based upon a true story. But those great action movies with well-placed humor are also ranking high on my all-time favorite movie list.

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Books

I read anything and everything, although for preference my choice would be true crime. Some of this is driven out of curiosity about what goes on in the mind of a criminal.