Today was the start of my best welcome with Asda. I only have one more day left of this and then it is onto training. This whole day has gone rather fast with a lot of things covered, some more general areas than others. As most of our training with be at the Long Eaton Superstore, I was also given a full tour around including all of the 'backstage' sort of areas. It's been a very interesting day and of course very eye opening to see all of the hard work that goes into running the store itself.
All being well, I should be starting my training there on Monday. Admittedly, I am a little nervous about it. The thought hit me today. I am used to working at a petrol station with a small shop, I'm not sure I'm going to know where to start working on the shop floor. I understand most things are still the same just the Asda way and that there will be more work to do. In short I am a little worried but, I'm hoping that I will just settle in nicely after the first couple of days. I will only be working at the Long Eaton store for a couple of months so it won't be worth getting to comfortable but, that doesn't mean that I can't try to make some new friends.
Thursday, 12 March 2015
Monday, 9 March 2015
ASDA
Well, my last day with my previous employer was the 6th of March. I have had a couple of meetings with a lovely lady from the ASDA in Long Eaton about the transfer that is ongoing, one on the 5th and then one on the 6th. On the 6th, I received my official transfer letter welcoming me to the company. I had already received similar to this when one of the HR lady came for a meeting with us all at Larklands but, that was just for welcoming purposes. I can't believe the wait is finally over. I remember my boss telling me about what is going to happen back in mid January and now the site is empty and well... gone! I was there on the last day of trading despite working nights in Daybrook at the same time. One the last day we didn't sell any fuel just cigarettes and whatever else was left in the shop, even though most of the stock was packed in boxes ready to be sent to the other site. It was a bit weird actually. No costa coffee machine as that had been collected on the 27th of February. Some of our regular customers reaction were brilliantly entertaining when they had realised the machine had gone, baring in mind most of them brought one every single day.
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| Goodbye, Esso! 06/03/15 |
I don't have to go back into ASDA Long Eaton until Thursday now, it is a little strange having so much time to myself. I'm so used to just working all of the time I just don't know what to do. Anyone would think I am bored or something. I do hope to try and get something recorded while I have the time. I managed to tidy up a drum track I had started for one of my new songs yesterday but, I still have a lot of work to do with that and there could still be some changes made. As it stands, I have only recorded 3 out of 10 (at least) songs. I am still planning on going ahead with my ep, I just still can't put a finger on when it will be ready. I said December before but, I didn't state which year!
Saturday, 28 February 2015
End Of An Era.
It's my last day working at Larklands tomorrow. I have been texting my boss infrequently like he's my best friend these last couple of hours. It feels a bit odd telling each other that we will be missed,almost like it shouldn't happen but it's all a part of the goodbye process, I guess. The amount of times I have felt either messed around or overworked have lead to this fairly emotional goodbye. It is in fact tonight that I am working. My last shift will be 1am until 10am in the morning. Surprisingly, I enjoy starting at 1am compared to midnight... I've still not completely worked out why, it's probably because of the extra hour sleep I get before I go. I still much prefer my day shifts, which I will get more of when everything finally changes hands.
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
Thoughts About The Last Two Years
Having finished college two years ago (yes, that's right... TWO YEARS AGO) Its hard not to think about how I could have improved the last couple of years. After I finished college didn't go nearly as well as I had planned, not immediately to say the least. I had to wait a couple of months until I could claim JSA (which I wasted) and then when I could claim I was stuck with them for a good number of months. In the time of struggling to find work they sent me on work experience. I went to two different places. I first went to the British Heart Foundation in Ilkeston where I still volunteer there when I can now and then later they sent me to The Original Factory Shop in Ripley. It was quite a pain to get there and back as at that point I didn't drive but, the government refunded my travel expenses thankfully. This was just the beginning of 2014.
Of course, my old band Zebra Crossing was still going strong then. I do kind of miss that band but it was always a pain to sort things out. Maybe I just miss being in a band in general, I don't know but I remember that Zebra Crossing was one hell of a roller coster ride. Admittedly the band started from me being envious that I had been replaced. That may not be the right word, furious maybe just in denial but, it did annoy me that the same songs myself and Lucy had played together whilst in Refraction were being repeated, especially the fact that I helped structure one of them and add music to it but them it got changed musically and I was no longer there. I probably didn't handle the situation well at the time but, the more I think about it the more I think maybe I should have just left them to it but, then they got a drummer and thats where I had to draw the line. I felt like I had to be involved. I felt pushed out and needed to get back in again. I know that I am nothing without music and needed something... So of course, I offered to be the bass player... since I couldn't be the lead guitarist anymore. Apart of me for the whole time though the very begining thought that this was a bad idea but, I stuck with it. There was something that I wanted to achieve, I was't sure what it was but, eventually I started putting every effort into the band. From producing a home recorded EP to a teaser video. I even got one of my old friends to help out with our band design even though I no longer speak to him now.
That was all late 2013 and if I remember correctly it was around December time we had a fall out on our hands. We had been together as a band for less that three months and one day had a little too much fun messing around during practise. If I remember Emmett threw a penny and it made Lucy drop her laptop. Next minuet the laptop screen completely dies and Emmett is out of the dab. To me, it was from that day that the band went downhill. We lost our drummer and found it very difficult to find a new one, even when we did it was finding the time to all practise together. I was getting stressed about the quality of my band going down hill and I think that demotivated me quite a lot. I would happily go to practice when I wasn't absolutely knackered from the Princes Trust Course I was on at the time but, it just wasn't the same. Forcibly writing new songs about nonsense and turning down ideas that would just never work. Some maybe but, no. Some of the last originals we made were really good though we never got them recorded properly if I remember, that or I have lost/forgotten where the copies are. It's just weird thing about all this now but its all come back to me over the last month and really hit me in the face. I don't speak to anyone now and I think it is fair to say I miss them all. I haven't spoken to David, our lead guitarist though I did see him busking in Nottingham not too long ago. He spotted me to and looked terrified. In regards to Lucy and Emmett, Lucy is at a Manchester Uni now from what I gather still studying music but, Emmett.. I have no idea. Maybe I will share this post with them and it might spark something between us, then again maybe not. Maybe they will discover it and be all like, "Kim, why are you blogging about me?" I really don't know.
That was probably the main thing I wanted to post to be honest. I don't get much time to talk to friends or announce that I want to talk to them about something because of work, that and because most of the time I don't want to feel like I am bothering them. It's quite sad really. This whole post is quite sad, so I appologise. I does make me wonder though, if things went a little better... would we still be going strong? Would I have still got my job? (I had two interviews and the first one my boss didn't hire me because I was in a band and it was too much commitment).
I will end on a lighter not, mind. In my eyes currently, 2015 is the year I will really push myself musically. Once I have my new contract sorted with work, I will be working less hours and have more time to record and work on my new (and old) songs. I'm going to be optimistic and say that I will aim to record and finalise at least 5 songs by the end of this year. I need to get this EP out as I have been planning it since last summer and just really not had the time at all. I can't wait to start recording again and really get back into the swing of things, roll on six hour shifts 2-3 days of per week still with holidays. I ACTUALLY CAN'T WAIT.
In other news, my video has finally reached over 1,000 views! Watch it here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwA8t3eaW1Y
Of course, my old band Zebra Crossing was still going strong then. I do kind of miss that band but it was always a pain to sort things out. Maybe I just miss being in a band in general, I don't know but I remember that Zebra Crossing was one hell of a roller coster ride. Admittedly the band started from me being envious that I had been replaced. That may not be the right word, furious maybe just in denial but, it did annoy me that the same songs myself and Lucy had played together whilst in Refraction were being repeated, especially the fact that I helped structure one of them and add music to it but them it got changed musically and I was no longer there. I probably didn't handle the situation well at the time but, the more I think about it the more I think maybe I should have just left them to it but, then they got a drummer and thats where I had to draw the line. I felt like I had to be involved. I felt pushed out and needed to get back in again. I know that I am nothing without music and needed something... So of course, I offered to be the bass player... since I couldn't be the lead guitarist anymore. Apart of me for the whole time though the very begining thought that this was a bad idea but, I stuck with it. There was something that I wanted to achieve, I was't sure what it was but, eventually I started putting every effort into the band. From producing a home recorded EP to a teaser video. I even got one of my old friends to help out with our band design even though I no longer speak to him now.
That was all late 2013 and if I remember correctly it was around December time we had a fall out on our hands. We had been together as a band for less that three months and one day had a little too much fun messing around during practise. If I remember Emmett threw a penny and it made Lucy drop her laptop. Next minuet the laptop screen completely dies and Emmett is out of the dab. To me, it was from that day that the band went downhill. We lost our drummer and found it very difficult to find a new one, even when we did it was finding the time to all practise together. I was getting stressed about the quality of my band going down hill and I think that demotivated me quite a lot. I would happily go to practice when I wasn't absolutely knackered from the Princes Trust Course I was on at the time but, it just wasn't the same. Forcibly writing new songs about nonsense and turning down ideas that would just never work. Some maybe but, no. Some of the last originals we made were really good though we never got them recorded properly if I remember, that or I have lost/forgotten where the copies are. It's just weird thing about all this now but its all come back to me over the last month and really hit me in the face. I don't speak to anyone now and I think it is fair to say I miss them all. I haven't spoken to David, our lead guitarist though I did see him busking in Nottingham not too long ago. He spotted me to and looked terrified. In regards to Lucy and Emmett, Lucy is at a Manchester Uni now from what I gather still studying music but, Emmett.. I have no idea. Maybe I will share this post with them and it might spark something between us, then again maybe not. Maybe they will discover it and be all like, "Kim, why are you blogging about me?" I really don't know.
That was probably the main thing I wanted to post to be honest. I don't get much time to talk to friends or announce that I want to talk to them about something because of work, that and because most of the time I don't want to feel like I am bothering them. It's quite sad really. This whole post is quite sad, so I appologise. I does make me wonder though, if things went a little better... would we still be going strong? Would I have still got my job? (I had two interviews and the first one my boss didn't hire me because I was in a band and it was too much commitment).
I will end on a lighter not, mind. In my eyes currently, 2015 is the year I will really push myself musically. Once I have my new contract sorted with work, I will be working less hours and have more time to record and work on my new (and old) songs. I'm going to be optimistic and say that I will aim to record and finalise at least 5 songs by the end of this year. I need to get this EP out as I have been planning it since last summer and just really not had the time at all. I can't wait to start recording again and really get back into the swing of things, roll on six hour shifts 2-3 days of per week still with holidays. I ACTUALLY CAN'T WAIT.
In other news, my video has finally reached over 1,000 views! Watch it here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwA8t3eaW1Y
Sunday, 8 February 2015
My SoundCloud
So today, I decided to check in with my stats on SoundCloud. I've used this website for sharing my music now for 2/3 years and I believe I have come quite far with it despite there still being room to improve my reach. I'm not going to go to in-depth into this because in honesty I mostly wanted to show off just what I have managed to achieve with this site since I started my membership with them back in 2012.
Firstly then, my play count. In 2012 when I first started using the service I reached 402 plays, its not a massive amount but its still quite pleasing. My best year this far was 2013 when I reached 1432, more than triple the previous year. Last year, I hardly used my Soundcloud account mostly because I was so busy all the time doing other things like The Princes Trust Team Programme and then getting a job. This effected my play count quite badly and brought me back down to only reaching 979, still more than double my first year alone but no where near the same amount as the year before.
You can see my most popular songs in this listing.
Here is a chart to show:
The only other thing I would like to mention is my download count of over the years. Overall, it is not a big number but considering they are free downloads its not like I want it to be but good news is that people like my music enough to take the time to download it so they can listen to it again whenever they feel like it. I feel that it is important to know that your listeners enjoy listening to my music. I currently have 346 followers so, assuming all of the people that downloaded one of my tracks followed 73/346 have actually downloaded what I have for free too. Its not a impressive figure but, its good to know that I do have a percentage of listeners that are interested.
Here is another chart for my downloads:
Firstly then, my play count. In 2012 when I first started using the service I reached 402 plays, its not a massive amount but its still quite pleasing. My best year this far was 2013 when I reached 1432, more than triple the previous year. Last year, I hardly used my Soundcloud account mostly because I was so busy all the time doing other things like The Princes Trust Team Programme and then getting a job. This effected my play count quite badly and brought me back down to only reaching 979, still more than double my first year alone but no where near the same amount as the year before.
You can see my most popular songs in this listing.
Here is a chart to show:
The only other thing I would like to mention is my download count of over the years. Overall, it is not a big number but considering they are free downloads its not like I want it to be but good news is that people like my music enough to take the time to download it so they can listen to it again whenever they feel like it. I feel that it is important to know that your listeners enjoy listening to my music. I currently have 346 followers so, assuming all of the people that downloaded one of my tracks followed 73/346 have actually downloaded what I have for free too. Its not a impressive figure but, its good to know that I do have a percentage of listeners that are interested.
Here is another chart for my downloads:
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
A few Dates To Remember
I have a lot happening within the next month, mostly work related but I also have an awesome delivery to look forward to. With the release of the New 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Majors Mask I have preordered both this amazing new console but with the special edition of the game which also comes with a figure of the Skull Kid. I was surprised because the whole package seemed quite cheap for what you get and with free delivery on top. This has set me back £194.99 but, I know its gonna be worth every penny of the whole new gaming experience. I've been a fan of the DS console since they were originally released so this is very exciting for me. I'm expecting the delivery from Nintendo around mid February which isn't too long from now and I really can't wait.
In regards to work, by the end of this month there will be big changes. Still not are exactly on the dates but from what I know the 25th February and the 9th of March are important dates for me to remember for now. Somewhere between these dates I will be working in Nottingham momentarily while everything gets sorted out to help out my boss. I seriously can't wait for all of these changes to take place to the extent that I honestly wish this month to be over already. It's all so exciting at the moment and with February being the shortest month anyway its going to make everything pass by much quicker.
In regards to work, by the end of this month there will be big changes. Still not are exactly on the dates but from what I know the 25th February and the 9th of March are important dates for me to remember for now. Somewhere between these dates I will be working in Nottingham momentarily while everything gets sorted out to help out my boss. I seriously can't wait for all of these changes to take place to the extent that I honestly wish this month to be over already. It's all so exciting at the moment and with February being the shortest month anyway its going to make everything pass by much quicker.
Wednesday, 14 January 2015
New Year, New Things
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| Left- My Vintage JHS SG (5/6 years old), Right- My new Epiphone SG (11 years old). |
The second buy was of an iPod nano 6th Generation. I've been on the look out for one of these for the last month and they are becoming harder to come by. Again, this was something I brought second hand but, this time fully functional. I brought it from Cash Generator in Nottingham for £69.99 which I thought was a great deal considering it is the 16gb version and it came with a multi-charger and a free watch strap accessory (which I have now brought another that is a different colour so I could work out how to attach it, turns out it needed two allan keys.)
There are a few things I hope to treat myself to in the coming months, upgrading my guitar amp is on the top of that list and next to it is getting a midi interface and desktop sized midi keyboard which believe it or not, I may actually have to the free time to use it. In a couple of months time there will be big change to my life with all sorts of new rewards. I can't reveal anything as of yet but, I super excited to reveal all soon... If I'm ever allowed haha!
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