Holidays, Teeth and Petrol.

Well, with two of my holidays booked off I can finally relax about something. I only had to book two days off for next month and then I decided to book six days off in a row for June. I still need to wait for confirmation. It is not just a random six days off, I may add. It is from the date The Piano Guys perform in Nottingham, UK right up until the day I have to visit the dentist. Kind of a holiday.

It's exciting now that work has finally started in the old Esso site. I can't remember if I mentioned before but, I have started up another blog just to keep a record of the transformation because there are going to be a lot of changes. I've taken most of the photos for this new blog from my phone so then they upload straight to my google account and I can instantly access them when I get to my mac without having to mess around transferring files from sd cards. The thought of inserting an sd card is just too much effort.

Anyways, earlier this week I did receive some training over at the Asda petrol station in Long Eaton. Unfortunately, the guy training me couldn't really show me much though because the site is card payment only so there is never any cash to worry about or tills. He did however show me some of the everyday checks. These were very simple checks, most just checking that there is a dial tone when you use any of the emergency phones. Generally, changing the pumps till roll. I must say I was impressed with their security system.

April (I couldn't think of another title)

Im typing this just before I go to bed. I have not long got back from my bestest friend's double birthday bash (which was a lovely get together) and I have work in the morning so I will be quick. Earlier today, I treated myself to a new tablet. Admittedly, I don't really need one because I stopped using my last but, this one is more powerful so I will most probably actually use it. I think I ended up just getting really irritated with my previous one because it was a slow dual core and I generally lost trust in it after my dad had to take it back to the shop to replace it because it wouldn't charge. This new one has the same sort of power as my phone which, doesn't really sound too impressive but the fact is that my phone is still going strong.

In other news, I think I'm finally getting used to my pattern of regular work with Asda because for the first time in ages I have actually managed to get through a day without taking a nap. I'm actually quite  impressed with myself for not being tired by 23:00pm. In a way, I think being ill benefited me. It knocked me down for a bit but, I've soon got back on my feet again and I finally have most of my energy back. Next week, I'm planning on ridding my bike into Nottingham one day after work. I'm not sure which day yet but, I should probably choose Thursday just incase so then I will have the time to recover if I need to. At this time I still have eighteen easter eggs to eat (I think my dad went a little crazy this year) perfect for wanting to loose a little excess weight.

I'm Ill. YAY -__-

So since Saturday, I've picked up some kind of throat infection/cold and its literally killed me off. I fought going to work on Sunday and Monday morning but, both days when I got back I just wanted to crawl back to bed. Its been absolutely horrible. This is my fifth day suffering and Im slowly started to feel better as of yesterday but, then I wake up again in the morning its like starting from day one again. My voice goes and I just don't know how strong I'm going to be to make it through a working day.  I had to call in sick again this morning at about 06:50am, yesterday I was just sent home as soon as I got to work. My voice was much worse yesterday but, I still can't talk very well. I haven't eaten properly in the last 2-3 days because I just don't have  an appetite for food. Everything tastes weird, foul and takes way to much effort for my mouth to chew. There have been a couple of times over these past few days where I have actually struggled to breathe because of bringing up flew (lovely) and then it getting stuck in awkward place in throat. Yep, that made me panic and cry a few times. Im not even sure if I will be fit enough to work tomorrow, I hope so... I really wanted to go into work this morning but, I realised how weak I was and that my body was telling me 'No'. I'm so used to just soldering on through illnesses it feels slightly criminal to have a couple of days off work for it. I am so not used to this.....

Best Welcome

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.

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.

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!

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.

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