1999 - living in a little terraced house in a small market town in Northants with GLW of 2 years. First born on the way. Recently qualified as a teacher working with kids with severe learning disabilities. Playing in a band, writing songs, trying to make a 'classic album' on a budget. Listening to Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson, Christine Collister, Chris While and Julie Matthews, The Beatles and Motown. Addicted to good curry, strong coffee and red wine.

2009 - living in a slightly larger house in a small village in Northants with GLW of 12 years. Two kids (9 and 6). Still hanging on in there as a teacher, but career path has been eccentric. Playing solo gigs, writing songs, dreaming of making a 'classic album' on an iMac. Same music, same foodstuffs, same drinks. Finally got around to writing a book - currently underwhelming literary agents and publishers as I write this.

What's changed? The annoying cyst on my head has got bigger - meaning I can't have a 'number one all over' anymore, my hairline has receded a little bit - and the hair is greyer, my face and my waistline have expanded. My kids have made life fantastic over the last ten years, though - they've taught me more than I ever learned at school or university - I think that's what I've been doing mainly - raising excellent kids - and they have changed me: I appreciate the wonders of nature, our island history, the importance of family, so much stuff I can't really express...

1999

1. I wanted to work in the music business and did after a fashion.
2. I cared about being up to speed with contemporary music.
3. I couldn't speak Italian.
4. I lived in London.
5. I ate breakfast.
6. I drank coffee with milk.
7. I was always drunk.
8. I would go to bed ridiculously late.

2009

1. I don't work in the music business and have no desire whatsoever to do so again.
2. I couldn't care less about being up to speed with contemporary music.
3. I can speak Italian.
4. I live in Oxford.
5. I do not eat breakfast.
6. I drink double espresso.
7. I am always sober.
8. I go to bed quite early.

1999
I was 13, doing well at school, living in Ipswich, interested mainly in girls and the remote possibility of maybe some hand-holding, played lots of sport, just starting to get into music and no idea what I wanted out of life other than to be happy.

2009
23, have GCSEs, A levels and a degree, work in London, live in Guildford, long-term girlfriend, still interested in hand-holding (with aforementioned lady, of course), worryingly obsessed by pop music, still no idea what I want out of life other than to be happy.

Am happy.

- lived in Glasgow working in a low end media job.
- just met a very nice girl, who quickly moved south
- seemed to be awfully stoned a lot of the time
- was able to forgo sleep
- could survive on very little money

2009
- live in London working in a slightly higher end media job
- still with same nice girl (followed her down, hence why I live here)
- never touch drugs, they now make me feel a bit ill.
- for a long time now I seem to be going to bed early...
- I earn over three times what I did ten years ago, and yet feel like I barely break even.

I have not walked the Hindu Kush, wrestled with bears, written a great novel or recorded that great pop tune. However I'm only a stone heavier than I was, people who knew me ten years ago would recognize me if they saw me, and life may be quiet, but it is nice enough. I'm neither bored or miserable.

1999 -

Just turned 30, playing regularly in a band with interest from companies, living with girlfriend of 11 years, working in day job that paid the mortgage. Lived in London.

2009 -

Just turned 40, haven't picked up a guitar for over a year, never released anything, married but not to the old girlfriend, have a 6 month old son, working in the same job that now pays a different mortgage. Live in the West Country.

(Ex girlfriend, thanks to inheritance and some tidy investments is now a millionaire. Ho hum. Oh and the old flat which she bought me out on when we split up went from it's original value of 100k to 550k. Ho double hum.)

1999:

- Lived in a studio flat in Lewisham
- Met a lovely woman at mutual friends birthday party in Camden
- Worked for a big American Telecommunications corp in a glistening tower at St Katherine's Dock
- Stopped getting my thinning hair cut in short 'quiff' arrangement and switched to the shorter 'brushed forward' vogue.
- Bought a red Fender Stratocaster from a shop on Denmark Street (2 schoolboy ambition/cliches realised)
- Took lovely woman above to New York for the first time.
- Checked current account at an ATM on Fenchurch Street close to month end to find my self £2500 in credit.

2009:

- Living in a semi-detached in Maidenhead
- With woman, above, who remains lovely and is my GLW
- Working for a Home Office Agency run by the Police to ensure all their IT kit is fit for the job in a big beige building on the South Bank after having thankfully been made redundant by the god-awful, corporate bollocks driven UK telecoms industry as it disappears up its own cheating arsehole.
- Hair still in short brushed forward vogue and still mainly on my head. My rate of receding is glacial for some odd reason.
- Still own a red Fender Stratocaster. Still looks brand new. I want it to look like Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar but will be mortified when it gets its first dink.
- Own and maintain a small daughter who looks like me and drives all I do.
- Haven't willingly checked my balance at an ATM since the arrival of above. I appear to be living on fresh air and miracles.

Mine has changed. 1999, aged 13. Changes followed (they were in process but have since been finalised). I am now a fully fledged adult of the species.

1999 - listening to Travis, Coldplay, Moby, Yes, King Crimson
2009 - listening to all above, plus a load more

It's remarkable what I have done in the last 10 years.

1999
Living in small flat in Battersea
Married for three years - no kids
Working in media - earning pittance
Fat

2009
Living in large three-story house in Battersea
Married for 13 years - no kids
Working in media - earning fortune (sort of)
Less fat

...in the North of England flogging books for large corporate publishing house, living in a red brick terrace, no wife, no children, constantly thirsty for any alcohol based beverage.

2009 - still on the road but flogging books for smaller publishing house and acutely aware that I won't be doing it in 2019, although that doesn't keep me awake at night. I have a wife, two lovely children and a view of the Forest of Bowland, something that astonishes me every time I open the curtains. Less thirsty, although possibly still thirstier than is good for me. Delighted to be here.

Not partying like Prince

Living in Weston Super Mare, as couldn't afford house in Bristol
Cohabiting with soon to be wife. No kids.
Drinking lovely warm, flat English beer
Recently quit IT contracting to take permanent position as Microsoft wrangler in large Life Insurance company
Bought first car aged 29, had sworn not to buy one until 30
Biking 4 miles to work

2009
Living in Portland, Oregon, looking out onto trees (and usually rain) each morning
Still married, though it's touch and go.
Have lovely 7 year old with complex medical disorder.
Drinking slightly less lovely cold fizzy microbrews.
Still Microsoft wrangler though now for software company
Own Mini Clubman (for fun) and Subaru Forester (for snow)
Biking 9 miles to work, weather/apathy permitting
Bones ache when standing up.

1999 - Aged 19, a virgin, living with parents in the North West of England, recently out of education and working as an office junior in Liverpool, writing tortured, (cringe)worthy songs on acoustic guitar.
Very unhappy.

2009 - Aged 29, living with fiancee, daughter and dog in the North East of England, working as a software salesman in Newcastle, playing in a covers band for kicks and beer money. Close to contented.

saving money to go travelling with long term GF. Own 5 Neil Young LPs. Short hair & clean shaven.

2009 - living in London again (after 2 years holiday & 5 years in Bristol in between) with a different long term GF, saving money for our first child. Own 45 Neil Young LPs. Long hair & beard.

13.

Living in Northamptonshire.

Interested in one particular girl; unable to pluck up the courage to ask her out on a date.

Listening to a couple of recently purchased albums by Travis and Jamiroquai.

Desires to emulate Michael Owen.

2009.

23.

Living in Northamptonshire.

Interested in one particular girl; unable to pluck up the courage to ask her out on a date.

Listening to a couple of recently purchased albums by The Unthanks and Wild Beasts.

Desires to emulate Wilfred Owen.

Just failed a driving test.
Working as a web developer for an ISP in Middlesbrough
But about to move to a teaching job at a university.
Hoping to start a PhD
One year into a serious relationship
Own a nokia 5100
Listening to Space, Dread Zeppelin and Kula Shaker

November 2009
Just about to take a driving test
Stil teaching at the same university and living in Whitby
PhD has sort of gone west
Not far from finishing a divorce, but with a gorgeous five-year old daughter as compensation
Own a nokia 6220c
And an iMac
Listening to Duckworth Lewis Method, Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra and Jellyfish

1999
Studying for a degree in English with a vague notion that I'd quite like to work in 'the media'

Worked part-time in Virgin Megastore where I mainly read magazines, chatted with co-workers and spent my wages on new music. Every so often I would half-heartedly flick a duster around a CD rack.

Spent hours deliberating whether or not to shell out £200 on a DVD player.

Listening to Belle & Sebastian, who I will tire of around 2004

Celebrating 2 year anniversary with boyfriend

2009
Working as a photographer and loving every bit of it. However, being my own boss means that I actually have to pay attention.

Spotify for music. I download films & TV shows. Layer of dust coats solid media.

Listening to Belle & Sebastian, having rediscovered them in 2008

And finally last week I married my boyfriend of 12 years in New York.

1999

Living in small village in Worcestershire, having moved from London at the end of 1997, with GLW of 9 years

Small daughter aged 2

Working for a local authority housing department

Listening to Dylan, Martyn, John Cale, Tom Waits (wondering when he was going to release a new LP)

Money was tight, couldn't seem to afford CDs

Driving unreliable red Rover that kept costing me money

2009

Living in a small market town in Worcestershire with GLW of 19 years

Two daughters aged 12 and 9

Working the same local authority housing department, though it's my third different job and I am now a manager

Listening to Dylan, Martyn, Waits, Neil Young, Zappa, Presley, Robert Pollard, Kevin Coyne, Arctic Monkeys, Shellac, Sonic Youth, Gemma Hayes, Magazine, Husker Du, Nirvana....and more

Seem to be able to buy as many CDs as I want

Driving a brand new lease car