It took the combined efforts of two friends (Wild Night In and Swish Themes – check them out, go go go!) to persuade me to start blogging. Well, I say combined effort. To be honest, it was more along the lines of two unconnected friends of mine casually mentioning over dinner, coffee or whatever it was that I should set up a blog. So far, it’s all been very music orientated, but I think it may well be more interesting (for me, if not for anyone reading) if I  expand things slightly. So…here goes.

The other day, I was having a drink with my lovely friend Cat – the aforementioned Wild Night In. It’s strange – we’ve known each other for a long time (blimey, almost 15 years now!) but have never really had corresponding likes and interests. Somewhere along the ay, we both seem to have become interested in folk arts, hooping, blogging…just a few things here and there.  So, whilst sitting in the pub we decided to write down “to do” list. The deadline? A year from now.

Some (lose a stone, learn to hoop, run 10k,) are health related. Not that there’s any urgency (as far as I know, and touch wood there won’t be) – just a want to be more healthy.

Others involve learning new skills (go on a jewellery making course, learn to play the accordion…and again, learn to hoop!). Then there’s my wish to travel a bit – I’ve set myself the small target of 3 weekend trips abroad – just so I can see a bit more of the world on my own terms. I suppose wanting to broaden my horizons a bit more. It’s funny how a hobby can become a profession, and when you take education out of the picture it becomes apparent that your profession and hobby are all one thing. So – accordion aside – I thought I might find a hobby that’s not music. My jewellery making attempts have been fairly basic so far, but I now have a box full of beads and I’d quite like to do something with them….

And then there’s the ‘professional’ one. I’ll keep that quiet for now – I’m still waiting on my results from my Masters dissertation and don’t want to jinx anything, but I want to build on the research I’ve done for my dissertation and…follow a few things up. More on that another time though.

So there we have it. 7 goals, 1 year. Aside from that I want to discover some new music and really, really get to know some other genres. Again, a professional goal as much as a personal one. So, 8 goals.

And probably still counting…

I realise now there’s been barely any point to this blog. It’s all a bit self-indulgent really, but I suppose putting it all in writing, and then publishing that writing on the internet in a place where some people might read it has the potential to motivate me a little bit more and maybe, hopefully give me the extra incentive to get myself into gear and, step by step achieve my goals.

Now. I’ll stop boring you and – for those of you who’ve made it this far – here’s a video. I had one of those amazing moments when I remember how fantastic a singer Ella Fitzgerald was today. It’d be rude not to share the joy.