So I've been sober for 6 months now! I've made half a year without a drop of booze, a slip of liquer or a smattering of beer...?
And what better way to have celebrated this bit of a milestone than at the first Yo Yo night @ Slide, tonight! Niall and I did the 80s theme with proper professional joy! We had ALL the songs people wanted. Every request (except maybe two) we had and there were a lot of requests! I'd say it was about a 90% success rate, as far as that's concerned, but the place was buzzing, it was filled, people were singing along to their favourites and shaking their "thang". It was a massive success and I'm so very damn chuffed!
Other than that... Meh. I don't know. I can't think of much else to say. Things are going damn well at the moment, even though I'm not exactly in the most comfortable financial place, I'm quite happy right now.
So... Here's to another 6 months of sobriety (raises glass... of blackcurrant cordial).
Cheers!! :)
Friday, 30 April 2010
Friday, 23 April 2010
Day 175 - 25 weeks
1 week away from the halfway point. Good schtuff!
So I have some pretty damn good news:
I start a new job on 3rd May! It's with another security company, but it will be fulltime hours on a permanent site. I'll know what nights I'll be working, potentially months in advance! I can plan my life around my job again and not be stressed out month to month, wondering if I'm going to get enough hours in to cover my bills. This job also pays a bit more money too.
It may mean the end of this, but some sacrifices have to be made and I've had a lot of fun making that stuff. I'm sure I'll find other ways to do covert audio/video shenanigans. I'm still uploading HD versions of all those videos using Vimeo (instead of youTube), so keep checking out the older posts if you're interested.
Hexxed progress on the visuals is looking great. We've been able to discuss all our technical issues for the gig with the organisers and it looks like we'll be practicing hard on the set, right up to the gig itself. I can't wait.
YoYo is taking shape too. Niall and I are already making plans for our monthly nights right through the Summer. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook and come down to our night at Slide. It's going to be awesome. Chilled, but groovy, leftfield and upbeat and all round good shit for the last Thursday of every month!
Sean & Myself are making very nice progress on writing riffage. 6 songs in the bag. Soon it will be time to expand the clutches of our dark arts... Err... Or something.
OK, that's enough for nay, so it is.
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
So I have some pretty damn good news:
I start a new job on 3rd May! It's with another security company, but it will be fulltime hours on a permanent site. I'll know what nights I'll be working, potentially months in advance! I can plan my life around my job again and not be stressed out month to month, wondering if I'm going to get enough hours in to cover my bills. This job also pays a bit more money too.
It may mean the end of this, but some sacrifices have to be made and I've had a lot of fun making that stuff. I'm sure I'll find other ways to do covert audio/video shenanigans. I'm still uploading HD versions of all those videos using Vimeo (instead of youTube), so keep checking out the older posts if you're interested.
Hexxed progress on the visuals is looking great. We've been able to discuss all our technical issues for the gig with the organisers and it looks like we'll be practicing hard on the set, right up to the gig itself. I can't wait.
YoYo is taking shape too. Niall and I are already making plans for our monthly nights right through the Summer. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook and come down to our night at Slide. It's going to be awesome. Chilled, but groovy, leftfield and upbeat and all round good shit for the last Thursday of every month!
Sean & Myself are making very nice progress on writing riffage. 6 songs in the bag. Soon it will be time to expand the clutches of our dark arts... Err... Or something.
OK, that's enough for nay, so it is.
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Day 173 - THIS IS A BIT CHEEKY...
... But desperate times call for desperate measures:
I'm selling my audio PC. It's a decent spec. comes with loads of excellent music software (and plugins) installed, Windows XP, Microsoft Office etc. If you're interested give me a shout!!
Anyway more details here.
Now back to regular blogging...
Stuff and things and stuff has been happening. Things indeedy.
More on this later.
Also!!!
It's fast approaching the half way point in this here Sober For A Year challenge. So that means on 30th April 2010 (around 1am) I'll have been sober for half a year. That's 182 days. That's frankly nucking futs! I can't believe it's been that long. I remember saying "oh look it's 100 days, wow, already?" but that was, almost 100 days ago!! Pretty chuffed with getting this far. It would be awesome to get some more donations, or attention directed to this here thing in the second half. Or some sort of new angle or something.
Lots of people have been saying they'll donate, but seem to have missed getting round to it, so I urge y'all again to please, dig deep. 'Mon 'da 'fuhk lads (and lasses). Tis for a good cause and all that!!
Thankees.
Bye for now. :)
I'm selling my audio PC. It's a decent spec. comes with loads of excellent music software (and plugins) installed, Windows XP, Microsoft Office etc. If you're interested give me a shout!!
Anyway more details here.
Now back to regular blogging...
Stuff and things and stuff has been happening. Things indeedy.
Also!!!
It's fast approaching the half way point in this here Sober For A Year challenge. So that means on 30th April 2010 (around 1am) I'll have been sober for half a year. That's 182 days. That's frankly nucking futs! I can't believe it's been that long. I remember saying "oh look it's 100 days, wow, already?" but that was, almost 100 days ago!! Pretty chuffed with getting this far. It would be awesome to get some more donations, or attention directed to this here thing in the second half. Or some sort of new angle or something.
Lots of people have been saying they'll donate, but seem to have missed getting round to it, so I urge y'all again to please, dig deep. 'Mon 'da 'fuhk lads (and lasses). Tis for a good cause and all that!!
Thankees.
Bye for now. :)
Monday, 19 April 2010
Day 171
So what's been happening of late?
Night shifts generally making me hate everything.
On the plus side:
Hexxed CD orders are well on under way. The band is knuckling down for the upcoming Distortion Project gig in May. We've been making progress with our live visuals and today we did a photo shoot with the much cool Marc Hurley. Things are moving along with Hexxed quite swimmingly.
Niall and I have got our Yo Yo night organised and have started promoting it around Belfast. Flyers look lovely! (Thanks Joel and me bro, James!)
Recorded with the QUBe guys. Quite pleased with the results.
Been listening to loads of nice musics recently...
Had a couple of fun days out with friends.
Yup. I'm really struggling with this list here, aren't I?
What can I say? Work has been making me feel out of sorts and it's been hard to pull myself into line and get on with things. Part of me has also been pining to get some "me time" as far as music projects and stuff go. Feel a bit like I'm doing a lot of stuff for lots of different people, but really, what's in it for me?
All this working for free is keeping me busy, sure, but is the balance between: Things that are fun and satisfying AND things that will actually benefit me, financially or down the line, being addressed to any extent?
Or am I just carrying on like it's all a hobbie?
I had to stop and ask myself recently: Do I actually enjoy all of this? What do I expect to get out of it? And I think there are heavy answers. The important thing is to enjoy the things that are basically meant to be fun (and creative), otherwise there really is no point continuing with them.
On the other hand, what about my future? I keep finding ways to avoid dealing with "plans". Why am I sabotaging myself? Am I just being lazy? Just lacking self-belief?
... In the meantime, I need to stop stressing out over all these things. Work and being on my own all the time doesn't feel healthy. I've been chasing my tail a bit too much.
I need to get out more!!
But I can't afford it...
Then I need a better job!
But then I won't have time to go out...
ETC. ETC. ETC...
le sigh.
:'(
Night shifts generally making me hate everything.
On the plus side:
Hexxed CD orders are well on under way. The band is knuckling down for the upcoming Distortion Project gig in May. We've been making progress with our live visuals and today we did a photo shoot with the much cool Marc Hurley. Things are moving along with Hexxed quite swimmingly.
Niall and I have got our Yo Yo night organised and have started promoting it around Belfast. Flyers look lovely! (Thanks Joel and me bro, James!)
Recorded with the QUBe guys. Quite pleased with the results.
Been listening to loads of nice musics recently...
Had a couple of fun days out with friends.
Yup. I'm really struggling with this list here, aren't I?
What can I say? Work has been making me feel out of sorts and it's been hard to pull myself into line and get on with things. Part of me has also been pining to get some "me time" as far as music projects and stuff go. Feel a bit like I'm doing a lot of stuff for lots of different people, but really, what's in it for me?
All this working for free is keeping me busy, sure, but is the balance between: Things that are fun and satisfying AND things that will actually benefit me, financially or down the line, being addressed to any extent?
Or am I just carrying on like it's all a hobbie?
I had to stop and ask myself recently: Do I actually enjoy all of this? What do I expect to get out of it? And I think there are heavy answers. The important thing is to enjoy the things that are basically meant to be fun (and creative), otherwise there really is no point continuing with them.
On the other hand, what about my future? I keep finding ways to avoid dealing with "plans". Why am I sabotaging myself? Am I just being lazy? Just lacking self-belief?
... In the meantime, I need to stop stressing out over all these things. Work and being on my own all the time doesn't feel healthy. I've been chasing my tail a bit too much.
I need to get out more!!
But I can't afford it...
Then I need a better job!
But then I won't have time to go out...
ETC. ETC. ETC...
le sigh.
:'(
Friday, 16 April 2010
Day 168
Right, a few things I could update about, but first and foremost I want to get something off my chest. Facebook and Twitter updates are too small, so this is where I must vent my spleen!
Microsoft peeves: Hotmail. Pressing "Reply" to an email and the previous email content doesn't show. Especially irritating when I want to Forward an email to someone else!!! Why else would I press forward if I didn't want the person receiving the email to see the feckin' content!!!!?!?!?!? ! MSN. Randomly signs itself in every 10 or 15 minutes or so. What, and indeed, the fuck is all that about? Vista. Asking me TWICE for permissions to change some files. TWICE?!!! I am the only person with access to this computer, why do I need to give myself permission at all?!! Just a few of the things that make me hate Microsoft. Thanks for stopping by.
I'll have more not-so-complainy stuff to say later.
For now... Ta ta!
EDIT: Whoops!! Bit of a Calendar fuck up there. Today is in fact Day 168. Move along! Nothing more to see here. *sidesteps away sheepishly*
Microsoft peeves: Hotmail. Pressing "Reply" to an email and the previous email content doesn't show. Especially irritating when I want to Forward an email to someone else!!! Why else would I press forward if I didn't want the person receiving the email to see the feckin' content!!!!?!?!?!? ! MSN. Randomly signs itself in every 10 or 15 minutes or so. What, and indeed, the fuck is all that about? Vista. Asking me TWICE for permissions to change some files. TWICE?!!! I am the only person with access to this computer, why do I need to give myself permission at all?!! Just a few of the things that make me hate Microsoft. Thanks for stopping by.
I'll have more not-so-complainy stuff to say later.
For now... Ta ta!
EDIT: Whoops!! Bit of a Calendar fuck up there. Today is in fact Day 168. Move along! Nothing more to see here. *sidesteps away sheepishly*
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Day 157
Not much to say other than the obvious:
Yep. I'm still sober! Still rocking the non-alcoholism. Still reaping the benefits and seeing no downside to it whatsoever.
Yep. I still hate my shitty job.
After the recent week I wrote about, of awesome coolness and many great creative things, this last week of night shifts has worn me down and made me pretty miserable actually.
I've applied for a few other jobs and had one call back yesterday, it's another security job, but hopefully something more permanent so I can structure my time around it properly. We'll see. Not getting my hopes up though, as the dreaded "RETAIL SECURITY" was mentioned and I'm not interested in that, not for love nor money. Well unless the money was ludicrous, like £20 an hour, then I'd probably do it alright.
So being deflated and demotivated at work, I've not done much music or creative stuffage, though I have been writing a bit, mostly terrible (comedy) lyrics and whacky shenanigans like that. It's a laugh-hoot riot a minute at work, I can tell ye! I definitely think the job is slowly making me ... I was going to say "a wee bit mad" but, lets face it, I'm already a wee bit mad, that's been established. The job is taking what little sanity I have left! There. I think that's a fairer way of saying it.
Sigh.
Right. Time for a few hours kip. Some nice things to look forward to at least: Tonight some jammage and new tune writing with the Baps of Huggington, Friday some recording with our trio in QUBe and Sunday Hexxed practice. Maybe FHO practice on Saturday too.
Oh. That reminds me!
How could I possibly forget?! *smirk*
The Hexxed album: The Synapse Collision, is now available to order from our official website!
http://hexxed.co.uk/ Get on over there to hear some samples and to order yourself a copy... NAY!!!
The packaging and artwork is really something special, I'm not just saying that: it's a beautiful product! I've had little to do with any of this and must say that Owen and Steve seemed to have done much of the hard work of getting the CDs sorted, but I'm still really proud to be involved.
The Distortion Project gig at the Spring & Airbrake in May will be a ... memorable... event, me thinks.
Yep. I'm still sober! Still rocking the non-alcoholism. Still reaping the benefits and seeing no downside to it whatsoever.
Yep. I still hate my shitty job.
After the recent week I wrote about, of awesome coolness and many great creative things, this last week of night shifts has worn me down and made me pretty miserable actually.
I've applied for a few other jobs and had one call back yesterday, it's another security job, but hopefully something more permanent so I can structure my time around it properly. We'll see. Not getting my hopes up though, as the dreaded "RETAIL SECURITY" was mentioned and I'm not interested in that, not for love nor money. Well unless the money was ludicrous, like £20 an hour, then I'd probably do it alright.
So being deflated and demotivated at work, I've not done much music or creative stuffage, though I have been writing a bit, mostly terrible (comedy) lyrics and whacky shenanigans like that. It's a laugh-hoot riot a minute at work, I can tell ye! I definitely think the job is slowly making me ... I was going to say "a wee bit mad" but, lets face it, I'm already a wee bit mad, that's been established. The job is taking what little sanity I have left! There. I think that's a fairer way of saying it.
Sigh.
Right. Time for a few hours kip. Some nice things to look forward to at least: Tonight some jammage and new tune writing with the Baps of Huggington, Friday some recording with our trio in QUBe and Sunday Hexxed practice. Maybe FHO practice on Saturday too.
Oh. That reminds me!
How could I possibly forget?! *smirk*
The Hexxed album: The Synapse Collision, is now available to order from our official website!
http://hexxed.co.uk/ Get on over there to hear some samples and to order yourself a copy... NAY!!!
The packaging and artwork is really something special, I'm not just saying that: it's a beautiful product! I've had little to do with any of this and must say that Owen and Steve seemed to have done much of the hard work of getting the CDs sorted, but I'm still really proud to be involved.
The Distortion Project gig at the Spring & Airbrake in May will be a ... memorable... event, me thinks.
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