2009 starts with the confession that I am the most terrible blogger when it comes to regular correspondence - so that's one resolution in the bag already. I plan to actually blog once a week, even if it is short so that I am actually recording my life and, if I have any dedicated readers, that their dedication is at least rewarded!
2008 was a particular rubbish year for me and a lot of it was my fault. The new job is great but it has been really a tough transition and it has been difficult to work in a dedicated area (HR) with people who are much more experienced and really love HR whereas I really love theatre. I managed to fall out spectacularly with a collaborator which I regret but I doubt I can do anything about it now. I became single (less said the better) and I got into more debt somehow. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer, I was diagnosed with stupidly high blood pressure and I reached ridiculously dizzying heights when it came to being a fat bastard. More depressingly, I got writers block and became rather apathetic about my entire career plans. It got to the stage where I seriously considered giving up - on everything. My PC had the same idea as well. (OK so that technically happened in early 2009 but let's not let facts get in the way of the positivity!)
On the plus side, I made some great friends, great contacts and lost 2.5 stones. Most of the belly is gone and subsequently my blood pressure returned to normal. I have a meeting with a new, experienced lyricist next week about Duchess of Malfi and have a theatre company who might help me develop another idea I have - provided I can get the rights. I now feel in a much better position to look forward.
Here are my 2009 resolutions - both professional and personal.
- Get my new company, Fusions, set up with one of my fabulous friends/clients Jules Francis.
- Be a great uncle-slash-godfather to my friends' new twins.
- Drop another two stones and/or get my body fat down to 12%.
- Complete a second musical and make some kind of reading/performance happen.
- Prepare to do something on Edinburgh Fringe in 2010.
- Get a new job on the West End or pretty damn close.
- Re-write my string orchestra piece, Stop All The Clocks.
- Reorchestrate Dracula.
- Finish my Piano Concerto - Phoenix.
- Learn the saxophone.
- Reach my freelance income targets.
- Spend more time with or contacting friends who I haven't seen for a while.
- Do what I say I am going to do - keep appointments and stop taking rainchecks all the time.
- Finish my tuned percussion piece - Nexus.
- Learn how to use a Mac so that I am not longer restricted to "being a PC" (I really hate those adverts) and so my Mac friends no longer make fun of me.
- Stop spending money on things I don't need/going out.
- Network more and start doing some hardcore self promotion.
- Get back to New York/Long Island.
- Try to read a book every night before bed so I have read all the books people have bought me but also to relax.
- Get a proper website set up.
- Acquire some basic piano skills.
- Learn how to use Adobe Audition so I can record live performances of my work.
- See more theatre on the West End and London Fringe.
Yeah I think that will do for now as that's quite a bit to be getting on with...oh no wait...
24. Write my blog more often.
