2014: A Look Back At The Good And The Bad

This year has been a bit of a crazy one, to say the least. Having had a break from the education system does still feel a little weird, it is of course one of the steps I needed to take in my young adult life to find a job. Gone are the days of dossing around playing video games all of the time, as I can hardly find the time for it now despite my massive collection.

The beginning of this year seems a bit of a blur to me now and feels like much longer ago than it actually was. Around January/February time when I was still with the dreaded JobCentre I remember doing some work experience for a month at a shop in Ripley called 'The Original Factory Shop'. It was nice there and I got on with everyone just fine, it was just a pain because of the travel everyday and the fact that I technically wasn't getting paid for it. Though, I did start to learn to drive around this time too. It took me a couple of weeks to get to grips with the basic controls and many months to find more confidence in myself on the roads. I'm still very pleased with myself about my first time passes on both my Practical and Theory. Though, it wasn't till May-time that I actually passed and this was the same time as I was taking part in The Princes Trust Team Programme, which was quite an intense 12 week course. I met many new friends whom I still get on with very well though the Team Programme and hope that before this year comes to an end, that we could all meet up one last time before this year continues on into the next. This year has gone way too fast, it only seems like yesterday it was July.

July was the month I completely ditched the job centre. I was so proud of myself that I had finally gotten myself a job. I had applied for the position before but not given it for god-knows-what reason, I just never heard back the first time around. The second time around I think I got a tad lucky. I had lots of help with mock interviews and I knew just what to talk about. That and I made a point that I had applied before, just to be on the safe side. I still enjoy my job, its just that I'm like most people and don't really enjoy being told off when I feel like I'm working hard, trying my best and most importantly not really doing anything wrong. It may sound a bit cocky but, it's not like I misbehave or indeed that I am a thief. I would never do such a thing. Any money I handle, I look at it and think that it has no value to me apart from my job. It is the price of my job and it's what I get paid for.

This last month coming into Christmas admittedly has been a bit crappy with having so many hours at work. The week of Christmas was especially exhausting as I worked everyday. Yes, everyday. It's my first working Christmas and because it wasn't that busy I actually just found it to be boring. Businesses are slowly seeming to awaken as we now drift away from the festive period and enter into a new year which thankfully means, I will no longer be bored at work.

I have a lot of things to think about next year. I am still pondering about trying to decide whether or not to go back to college/uni, for what its worth I'm really unsure. I really would love to work within the music industry but how can I sustain an income and learn full time at the same time. It seems impossible though, some do manage I feel that I will be one of the ones that will not despite experiences. I'm very stressed at the moment from the amount of hours I'm given, as it seems there are no longer any hours in the day left for myself. Aye, maybe this is just the working way but, it sure isn't any fun.

I hope for another great year next year. As things stand I have no idea what is going to happen. I will probably buy a few things, sell a few things and maybe even get a different job. I really don't know but, it would be nice to have a fixed hourly contract rather than worry about having to work 50 hours a week, its a killer.

All the best for 2015 - Kim

Bloody Hell, It's nearly Christmas

Ahh, this particular November month hasn't really been too good and to top it off, Christmas is well on the way and I'm still in pain because of my teeth. The paid came on all of a Sudden last Sunday, 23/11 and all week the paid has been off and on. But, stupid me isn't registered with a dentist anymore so finding someone to sort out my problem has been a bit of a nightmare and is going to have to wait till Friday! Wonderful. It worries me that I had to go to four different dentists just to finally get an appointment that isn't even straight away though, at least now I actually have a dentist just a shame that they are a fair distance away.

Anyway, Christmas... I still have a fair amount of Christmas shopping to do and thats before paying my dentist bill. I hate to imagine what that is going to be. Ugh. I went Christmas shopping with my parents yesterday, which made for a nice day out around Nottingham city centre. I've chosen a few games I've been wanting as well as clothing and that's all really. I was anticipating a MIDI Keyboard but, the only ones I could find in shops seemed too bulky for what I wanted them for. I would need to fit on my desk, so...

Time Flies When You're Having So Much Fun

I honestly can't believe that this year is nearly over already. With six weeks to Christmas, there really is not much time left at all. This year has been very eventful to say the least as a lot of things have happened. It does seem weird to look back on this year now but, it's all just gone so fast. I received my Prince's Trust certificate today, that was a great reminder of the events earlier this year as it was such a fun course and it's good to still be in contact with most of whom I worked with. I'm well into my fourth month of employment still at the petrol station and I am still enjoying it. It can be a bit of a mad rush sometimes but, it keeps me on my toes. We have a special visitor this weekend that I'm mildly nervous about as it is the head boss and it will be the first time I get to meet him. This week, of course consisting of the big preparation.

I need to remind myself repeatedly to book the 6th of December off work completely so I can go Christmas shopping with my good friend Joanne whom I've known since secondary school. We don't see each other so often these days but, when we do we try to make the most of it and always seem to start from where we last left off. I do miss a lot of my friends at the moment. I'm surrounded by work and I don't get much of a chance to go out. I've only been working 6 hour shifts this week but, I still feel worn down from the weeks before, hence not wanting to go anywhere. I've only just managed to get my sleeping pattern back on track from alternating days and night shifts though, I will probably suffer that again this weekend for the visit. Even though I'll only be in a couple of hours in the morning, I'll be back in later for 10pm till 6am. The thought alone is quite daunting as it is. Altogether it will be maximum 11 hours...

The good news is that I like nightshifts that start at 10pm rather than midnight because I get more time to do things. Time which is much needed.

My Latest Suprise

So, as usual I have left a fair gap since my last post so I have a fair bit to write about. You all know I now have a job and have had one for the last 3-4 months. I have been quietly saving up for a new computer machine with plenty more power. I was originally contemplating spending around 300-400 on a half decent gaming/desktop pc and then sticking in another graphics card that I had donated to me by my friend out of sympathy for not having one at all for my old pc which now may as well be classed as dead. Literally, all it does is blue screen and I can't be bothered to sort it, nor do I have the time or money to waste by just trying to revive it. Long strory short, I took as it may, the easy way out and brought myself a mac. No, I'm not joking.

This is the first Apple Mac I have ever owned and that has ever been in the Keeton household. I have been sparing though, and I have thought this through. Honest.

Right, specs are as follows:

OS X Yosemite

2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz) with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache

1TB (5400-rpm) hard drive
8GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory

Intel Iris Graphics

Two Thunderbolt 2 ports (up to 20 Gbps)
Four USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
HDMI port
SDXC card slot
Gigabit Ethernet port
Audio in port
Headphone port
IR receiver


All in all, a very powerful machine and very tiny. One thing I have failed to mention thus far is that I did go for the Apple Mac mini. Which basically means, its not an all in one like most Macs, which I really like. It's incredibly small and extremely powerful. Also, it came with Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iPhoto, iMovie and Garage band pre-installed.

I'm a very excited Kim!

OMG THE PIANO GUYS ARE COMING TO NOTTINGHAM, UK!!!

For those of you that don't know, I am a massive fan of TPG otherwise known as The Piano Guys. When I first discovered them it was the beginning of my second college year, when I was studying Music Performance at NCN Clarendon. It was during a composing session, when I'd dozed off to YouTube to take it easy for a while when I found Jarrod Raddnich playing two awesome piano solos on on The Piano Guys Channel. Raddnich was never really a true piano guys member though he clearly had the potential to be. As he was my first view of TPG, he set a great example and I was amazed, instantly wanting to tell friends (even though, they didn't seem to care much). On the same day, I continued to watch through all of their videos, totally engrossing in all of them. Instantly, I found a connection.

I missed out on seeing the guys live this year as they were performing too far away from home. The closest venues were in Birmingham and Manchester, UK. I'm so happy that they are finally visiting extremely local to me. It's almost like a dream. I've been waiting so long already for this and now I know that I only have to wait till June!!

EP Postponed Till idk.

So, over the last 3 months with working at the petrol station I have not been able to even start work on my upcoming EP: Alone or even practice all that much. I originally promised that my EP would be ready by around late August but, I simply have not had the chance to record. I am still in the process of making my new studio set up work purely because of a problem PC which, trust me has many problems leading to BSOD that I still don't know the exact reason for. It will work fine for a while, then after a bit it will blue screen.

I am truly hoping to get this EP out before Christmas if not, then I may have more fun making it in the new year with even more tech behind me. I feel so luck have my job, the hours are alot but, it pays well plus work can be a challenge on it's own. I get to train a new member of staff tomorrow who is on his third week of training. It makes me feel so proud where I stand now that I am in a position to help others.

I'm not going to set any dates this time because I know that I will most probably surpass them. I still have a lot of work to do towards this I just really hope that I can find the time and effort after all these long days at work.

Thanks for reading

Recording Postponed Again

So, I'm still working night shifts at the moment. I had on last might and I have another one tonight that starts in a couple more hours from 10pm till 6am. After that, I will be free for a couple of days. I will have the rest of tomorrow off as well as the following day and most of Thursday finishing the rest of the week with all night shirts. I still have a lot of things to sort out with this new PC, mostly because I lack the effort to do anything once I get back from work. For example, today when I got back I was in bed for 7am and didn't wake up till after 5pm.

I have had a couple of days off last week but, they got occupied by other stuff I had to do/go to. I will get some recording done soon! Hopefully tomorrow...