So... I recorded a song!

The last few posts I have written seem to have ended up rather formal and as much as I like that, here is one more diary like post.

Before I tell you about my recording of the song I will need to give you some context. I have applied to university and one of the universities wants to hear my original work on soundcloud so they can consider me for an audition. This was a very exciting prospect. I already had one track that was part of my AS music course that I could show them but they need three tracks. So a couple of days ago I went (courtesy of my wonderful sound-tech of a father) and recorded the first of the two new tracks. Given it is January the content of the song might seem a bit random. I recorded a Christmas song I wrote. But not a conventional Christmas song (the song is actually called Unconventional Christmas) and it doesn't sound like the standard Christmas songs you get, both musically and lyrically.

So I went into my dad's make-shift studio (the only thing that makes it make-shift is lack of soundproofing, other than that it is amazing) and I recorded the song. I sang and played guitar. For me the singing is the easy bit, I have been singing for many years, however, the thought of playing guitar for a demo got me soo nervous that I was stressing out and snapping at my father. Eventually I got the song down in three takes (proud of that) and am planning on going again to record the next one in the next few days. The other song is appropriate to any time of year and I am excited to get that one done.

It's interesting that it was because of university that I got my finger out and actually did some recording. I need to do more of this. More song-writing and more recording. They are both going to be a huge part of the career I am trying to build. That said I am hardly on track to having a career in the music industry any time soon.

Zoe out xx

Things I Want To Do In My Gap-Year

Education can be a stifling environment. Deadlines often prevent you from being able to do a lot of the things you really want to do. Not that I have ever let that stop me from doing a ridiculous amount of extra-curricular activities. A Gap Year is something I have wanted to do for a very long time. To be able to have a year out of education to do what ever I want is a great thing for me.

So here is a list of some of the things I really want to do once my A Levels are over but before I go off to university:

1) Begginers Courses in:

-  Aerial Silks

- Aerial Hoops

- Pole Dancing

- Burlesque

- Fencing 

Whether any of these courses lead onto Intermediate Courses I will have to see.

2) Edinburgh Fringe Festival

3) Glastonbury Festival

4) Whitby Goth Weekend

5) Weekend in Brighton

I would also love to go and visit Germany for Octoberfest but all of the things I have written are going to be fairly expensive so that will probably have to be an aspirational thing.

How I Do 'To Do' Lists

I love To Do Lists. Since discovering them they have helped me be productive within the space of a deadline. Many people probably use To Do Lists but I have my own way of doing them that I think might be helpful to share. There will be multiple lists made to get to the final and most helpful list. This process takes longer than a standard list but overall I find it makes life easier.

This guide is for a daily To Do List.

Step 1 - Pen to Paper

Work out everything you need to do and write them down as you think of them.

Step 2 - Priorities (Part One)

Put them in order of when they need to be done by.

(The first two steps can be made easier by writing deadlines into a diary or on a calendar.)

Step 3 - Time Management

Work out how long each activity will take. If you can't do that by time do it by tasks. Separate each subsection of all your activities. For example if you are cooking a roast you will need to prepare the vegetables, prepare the meat, prepare the oven etc.
Do this for everything that needs to be done.

Step 4 - Be Realistic

Make sure your To Do List is manageable. If it is unlikely you will finish a certain task don't write on your list that you must finish today. For example if an essay has three sections that need to be written, take that into account. It is unlikely that all three sections can be completed in one go. Work out what you need and can realistically do for today and keep the rest for you to do another day (or if you finish the list and have time later to do the left over things).

Step 5 - Priorities (Part 2)

Now you know what you need to do and what you can realistically achieve in one day, you can now put them into order. Out of the reduced list you have work out what needs to be done most urgently. Also bear in mind that if a long task is due later than a short task you may still want to do a bit of work on the long task. By the time the long task is due you may have spent all your time on short tasks and then have to rush the long task because of it.

Tip:
Don't be disheartened if you don't tick everything on your To Do List. Circumstances change often and sometimes it is just not possible to do everything on your list. Just try to do a bit of what you set out to do and if you have spent the time to make your list realistic then it shouldn't be too difficult to do a little bit.

xx

15 Things For 2015

2014 is over and like most people I am going to try to use it as an excuse to try to better myself. I want to write a list of little and big things I want to do/ accomplish in the new year. So why not write a list of 15 things for 2015. I did something like this for 2014. It didn't go very well. So this year I want to write this list but make it do able. This said, I will write 5 big things I want to do and the other 10 will be little things that will hopefully help make my life better generally.

So here we go:

1. Lose a little over a stone in weight by August.
2. Work hard so I get into the uni of my choice.
3. Sort out what I am going to be doing in 2016.
4. Get into the habit of doing vocal exercises everyday.
5. Learn to sing 3 really hard pieces (Dido's Lament). 

The other 10 littler things now

1. Get into the habit of keeping my room tidy
2. Have clear outs every few months if not every month
3. Review life plans/ year plans once a month
4. Make time to have breaks and have fun
5. Have mini pamper/ detox days at least once a month
6. Find a way to read more books for fun
7. Fit in listening to cool new music regularly
8. Hang out with friends more
9. Go to the opera (preferably more than once)
10. Go to the theater  (preferably more than once)

Whether any of this will actually go well I do not know.

xx

Review of my life in 2014/ Action Plan for 2015

I wanted a place where I could just write about my life and the things that goes on in it without actually needing a reason. Predominantly I wanted to write about my struggle with weight, health, fitness and any other goals I wish to work towards.

With Christmas well and truly done and with New Year's on it's way I want to look back and see what went well and what could be improved.

I started the year making the same resolution as I have done for countless years: 'I will lose weight.' This year I was almost a stone (14 pounds) heavier than I am now. (I hadn't actually realised that until I started writing this.) The majority of that weight was lost between June and September. It has stayed off fairly easily thankfully. I have been blessed with the capacity to lose weight and keep it off with there being a few pounds worth of fluctuation. Once September started it was difficult to keep up my summer exercise regime and at the beginning of November I hurt my knee (it is still recovering) so most exercise became impossible.
I did reach a weight loss goal which resulted in a piercing as a reward. This worked wonders as an incentive. I have other piercing/weight loss goals that I want to adhere to. This means losing 6 pounds by the end of January. This will be hard because of my work load. Most things to do with weight loss will be hard for at least the first half of the year because of the extreme work load. This means little changes that will be easy to sustain.

The following list shall be a list of changes that can be implemented at one a week if not longer:

1. Whilst sitting at desk, get into the habit of tensing muscles. This can help you get some toning done whilst you work.
2. Stop snacking in the evenings.
3. Whilst walking around increase speed so as to work up a small sweat.
4. Make sure that half the food you consume is fruit or veg.
5. Be sure to stretch out thoroughly everyday.
6. Afternoon/4pm snacks should be replaced with either a pot of tea and/or some fruit or a small savoury vegetable snack (possibly celery and humous).
7. Strength exercises (e.g squats and push ups) should be done daily. Gradually build up the amount of those done
8. Do an hour of rigorous exercise a week.
9. Try to build up the amount of times a week rigorous exercise can be done,  up to 4 times a week (no more than that).

Now that list has been written I can write that I also need to make time to chill out, see friends and do the things I enjoy.

Good luck for 2015!