The beginning of the end...?

The past few weeks have been incredibly busy at work. Just when I thought these hectic days were gone, along they come again. Apparently the next few months are going to get worse...

However, it's not all bad. Recently some really good things have happened for me...

1) I feel I am becoming a stronger member of the team each day. I have my performance review soon... hoping for a good review.
2) My wrist is feeling better than since my last update, although still not back to normal.
3) I have just recorded a brand new song called "The Everlasting Dream". It is the most beautiful song I've written. I also recorded a new song called "Spiral" about a month ago which is the most depressing song I've ever written.
4) I'm back into the accountancy studies. Took an exam about 3 weeks ago and passed it. I need to get another two done before September or I'll have to wait 6 months for the next chance.
5) I've made some new friends recently, both at work and outside work.
6) The weather today was great...just hoping it's going to last this time. Recently has been nothing but rain and I don't want it to be like last year's summer.

Until next time...
Jody

Egham blues

The past few days have left me with a pretty odd feeling. The four day weekend that is the Easter holidays has now ended and looking back on it I realise that I did pretty much nothing. Having said that, the time seemed to fly by as quickly as the snow that has been falling outside my window today.

Since my last update:

1) Following my visit to the local university's acoustic night, I made a new band mate and we practiced hard in order to take part in the next opportunity to perform. However, the acoustic night we were going to make our official "debut" at got postponed until April and then we recently found out that the April gig may be totally cancelled all together until the beginning of the new university year ie. October. I'm gutted because I have been really wanting to make a new band since coming back to Japan and never got around to it. Now I had the opportunity but it's passed and my motivation went up and back down again. Fingers crossed that the April one does not get postponed. In any case, I have written a few more song pieces and I get closer to finishing them. I also completed a new song last month called "Burning all your bridges".

2) Back in February I bought myself a new iPod Touch. This thing is wicked - not only because it is so technically cool, but it allows me to download Japanese language podcasts for free. It has definitely helped improve my j-skills.

3) I went with my bandmate to the NME Big Gig at the O2 stadium in London a few weeks back. I got to see Manic Street Preachers, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party and Klaxons. Not bad but our seats could not have been further from the stage and the sounds was a bit off. But it was still decent enough.

4) I travelled down to Brighton a couple of weekends ago to look at new guitar amps and settled on an Orange amp. It definitely sounds superior to the one I had before (and it really should do considering how much I paid for it).

5) My wrist, which has been hurting ever since I got back from Japan, is still causing me pain. I went to the doctors last week and got some antibiotics to help it. So far no real progress.

6) I am going to a friend's wedding today.

Jody

New Year; New Changes

I know it's late, but nevertheless HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone out there had a great one. For me, it was pretty decent. Christmas and New year was spent in Japan, seeing friends, going to karaoke and getting as much fresh sushi down my cakehole as possible :p To all the friends I met out there - thanks for taking the time to meet up. I wish that with many of you I could have spend more time with you than I did. I am thinking of coming back this year sometime so I'm looking forward to seeing you again.

Coming back to UK and having to work has been really tough - there's been a lot of new stuff to learn in a short amount of time. Although it's been tough, I have still been in enjoying it along the way.

As I say goodbye to a few good friends who went/are going back to Japan this month, I have also made a few new ones. On Friday I had a party at my house and I think I'm gonna be making a band with one of the guys I got to know. I'm excited at the opportunity of another band - it's something that I enjoyed doing in Japan and missed ever since. Coincidently, I have recently been trying to write more music. A few weeks ago I recorded an acoustic version of my first Japanese song. Also, this Thursday I'm gonna head to the local university to watch an acoustic performance night. I think it's also possible to perform there so I may also take part and show them how it's done ;-)

Bad news - I've somehow damaged my wrist so it's prevented me from my usual routine of gym and karate. It's been like this for weeks. Hoping I'll see signs of improvement soon.

Good news - I found out last week that my sister is pregnant again. The baby will be due around July. Naturally, I'm very happy. Will keep the updates coming.

For now, that's all my updates. You can see plenty of my photos on facebook (if you're not on there, please join).

Been listening to: Go!Go!7188 "Gyotaku", "Daisoku Hokou" and "Tategami"; Radiohead "In Rainbows"

I'm gonna leave this post with a Japanese song I recently came to know and like. It's "Hitori no yoru" by Porno Graffitti. Enjoy!