2016 is here

Twas the night before the return to work and all through the flat, not a creature was stirring, not even a cat. Laura and Jess lay all snuggled up on the sofa denying the existence of Monday.

Yeah I lost the rhyme there, but I'm sure you get the message. Another Christmas holiday passed, another term looms. To be completely honest though, it's not the return to work that bothers me so much as the return to reality and the loss of escapism that Christmas provides; the unlimited feeling of happy inspired by music, lights, food, friends and family. The one holiday where I can do nothing particularly productive beyond laundry for two weeks and feel not a drop of guilt.

Anyway, it's not all doom and gloom. I'm writing again! It's a new year and that means... resolutions!

It was really funny earlier today when I read back over last year's resolution post and noticed a pattern emerging. Like last year, I haven't written in weeks as the lead up to Christmas and then Christmas itself was beyond hectic (in a good way of course) as always! I did want to try to catch up on some exciting events that have occurred in the last couple of months but then I always remember the 'post-card' idea of my blog and I have to stop myself.

So I shall go for a whistle stop list-esque type thing. Since Bruges there was... the weekend of Death Cab for Cutie then Nicola Benedetti then Liquicity which I believe truly sums up the diversity of my musical taste, I discovered what might now be my new favourite view of London from some enormous man-made hill in Rotherhithe, I finally made the visit to Peterborough to a dear friend, I got the opportunity to sing in the Union Chapel (pretty special) and ventured out of London again with choir to a sleepy village for a day of singing, Christmas exploded once again with new decorations and Cath Kidston mugs a-plenty (I might need a bigger tree next year), there was a Christmas shopping expedition and carols in Cambridge, I actually sent lots of Christmas cards all by myself like a real grown up, I went on a Christmas tree crawl (another crawl invention by me), Ma & Pa kindly whisked me away on a mini-cruise to Antwerp before taking me home which was glorious as always and there I stayed until a few days ago. Phewf.

Yet again, I'm pretty sure I'm repeating myself with this year's resolutions, just phrasing them in new ways but there we go, I still like to try and make a few.

1. Send occasional cards.

Now by this I don't mean occasionally send cards, I mean send them to recognise occasions such as birthdays, engagements, that sort of thing. I always love to receive cards myself (no hints there, honestly) and it's something I always say I'll get better at... then Facebook informs me it's someone's birthday and I'm typing away on there, I didn't send a card, and another year has passed. I figure Christmas cards (which even arrived on time, by the way) were a good start. So watch those letterboxes!

2. Be more adventurous with food.

Is it just me who suddenly notices boring routine when it comes to eating? Then when you try to think of meals past, you can't. Well yesterday, I made a list of every food item left in the kitchen after the Christmas period then I sat down with my pile of cookbooks (which until now I am ashamed to say have been pretty much unused) and got inspired. My delivery arrives tomorrow and most of it seems to consist of weird and wonderful spices that I can't even pronounce the name of. Let's see how this goes...

3. Look after myself.

Yes I know. I had this one last year just with a different title. But I really do need to! I managed to achieve my third resolution last year of spending money wisely and got myself a new and magical bed which I'm now sleeping very well in so I've pretty much got rest down. It's the other things now like eating better (see resolution number 2), actually exercising a bit (let's not get too carried away) and trying not to get another 12 week-long cold (which apparently I'd had this time last year, deep joy).

2015 was a lot of fun and I was actually quite sad to see it go. I can already tell 2016 is going to be busy but hopefully another year of fun? I guess if it is, I'll write about it.

Waiting for payday

Tomorrow I finally get paid. It feels like forever since the last payday as this month saw several hefty outgoings and left me without any spending money over the past few weeks.

Fortunately I did make an incredibly pleasant discovery which got me through the latter half of the month. Turned out my contactless card for my student account still had actual money on it so I have at least been able to travel to and from work (yippee!). Usually topping up my Oyster is the one expense I can't avoid!

For the first time since I arrived in London I do have savings though! Pretty strict with myself when I really want to be, I refuse to dig into it, so I have basically become a hermit.

Over the past few weekends, in my bid to avoid spending I have become a master in the art of pootling; taking it slow, getting stuff done at a relaxed pace while enjoying music discovery/re-discovery. Many evenings have been whiled away on Netflix and iPlayers or in the company of books before bed (in addition to this saving malarky, I'm also half-attempting to cut back on screen time straight after and before bed in the hope that it might improve my sleep).

I have been taking pleasure in the little things. Tuesday nights pre-choir I've made an attempt to explore the City en route to feel as though I've at least had some adventure in my week! The weekend just gone was particularly special as we finally sorted out our little London garden! It is officially looking like a proper garden and I can't wait for sunny weekends and warm evenings so we can sit out and enjoy it! I did also manage to spend last Friday night doing something other than my laundry and or tackling the mountain of washing up that grows over the course of a week as I had pre-booked tickets to the Magnificent Obsessions exhibition at Barbican which proved highly intriguing, positively puzzling and thoroughly entertaining all at the same time.

Fingers crossed this month brings with it a few less expensive hurdles (although I am fully aware that the yoga membership I am going to treat myself to will hardly come cheap... all for a good cause!) I wish myself luck, especially as the bank holiday weekend looms.

In the meantime, Instagram is always there to make me feel like I'm doing something with my days...

A welcome duck pond (complete with fish) where I sat to eat before choir one Tuesday.

Days spent at home tend to be those where I dress the most impractically... got to get my kicks somehow!

I also spend far too much time 'organising'. Pretty happy with my little Norfolk corner though, I must say!

Another Tuesday, another lovely spot for food. Guildhall in all its glory.

Revelling in the artistic talents of a 6-year-old.

I would love to live in Barbican.

Filled with pride; our little London garden!

I even got the oboe out for a honk. Desperate times?

At least dog walks on Wimbledon Common are free. (Just wanted an excuse to show off my new wellies really...)

A part of me restored

Last Tuesday, I had my first choral audition in 5 years. No doubt I have moaned before about not performing at Christmas for the past two years, and this festive season I could take it no more; I had to join an ensemble! So I took to Google and found the City Chamber Choir, based near St Paul's. In an over-enthusiastic moment, I thought I'd get in touch, just in case they were looking for any rusty second sopranos (at least at this point I hoped I could still call myself a second soprano)!

I had a realisation the other day, which still seems most odd to me, that I have not been in an ensemble the entire time I've been writing this blog. Two long years have gone by, and I am sad to have spent so much time apart from musical performance. However, this year sees a shift, and with carols only two days away, I am beyond excited!

The thought of an audition after a day raising my voice to project across an enormous classroom, let alone after two years of no choral singing left me rather weak at the knees. Fortunately, with half term the week before last, I had requested that mother dig out my old music for us to bash our way through, first to discover whether I could actually still sing, second which therefore would make a good audition piece.

We settled on an old favourite, Adam Lay Y Bounden, and the day arrived. Voice lost part way through the day, I wasn't particularly full of hope. On the other hand, I wasn't feeling as nervous as I knew I should have been, either. I guess it had just been such a long time since anything of the sort that I'd forgotten about nerves! It was an atrocious day for the weather, raining continuously meaning that my feet were soaked upon arrival. Umbrella up, ducking and diving between speedy city slickers, I frantically followed Google maps (as is my style) to find my destination, hardly allowing myself to believe that it could really only take twenty minutes to reach from school.

Nevertheless, at quarter past (due at half) six, I found myself outside the door of a church half melded into an office building; The Gresham Centre. Lights were on, but nobody was home. Having walked around the sides I could access, I finally admitted defeat and called the lady with whom I had been having email contact. I discovered that they were meeting in an alternative location before the rehearsal, but would arrive in a short while. Not fancying the thought of standing outside the door in the rain (I hoped that if my singing did not sound at all up to scratch, I might at least be looking like I knew what I was doing), I found a cup of tea and a soft seat to shelter with for the time being.

My audition went past in rather a blur. I have never sung a scale in my life, yet there I was, singing scales as though it was all completely normal. Next came my prepared piece, and the acoustic was very flattering indeed (despite the fact that by this point, choir members were descending and I was definitely shaking like a leaf). Finally, the sight singing. After the sheer comic value of mine and mum's afternoon of singing, I was full of suspense, wondering (but probably not actually wanting to know) what on earth was going to happen. Praised with 'well you obviously know what you're doing' as the piece (and the audition) came to an end, I suppose I must have made it through without too many rogue notes!

I was asked to stay for the rehearsal, so took my seat amongst the second sopranos.

It's been such a long time since I've been in a choir. As I sat there (on the front row, which I'm usually known to avoid), I was thrown back to university choir and Kings Lynn Festival Chorus before that; to my antics, incessant texting, giggling and 'subtly' drinking red wine. I knew this rehearsal would be of a different nature, but I was still feeling highly nostalgic and completely in my element.

It probably sounds strange, but I love the way that singing feels to me like I'm 'playing' your voice, like I'm actually pressing keys somewhere inside me to produce the notes, and the way harmonies come together in a full choir is such a lovely feeling. I'd also begun to forget what it was like to spend time with other classical musicians; quite the stark contrast to the circles I now move in (of course I was the youngest by about 10 years, as usual)!

All in all, a glorious feeling. After the rehearsal I was told they'd love to offer me a place, so I beamed and maybe even sang a little all the way home! Now after my first proper rehearsal, I can officially say I am so pleased to feel like I have got a missing part of me back. Also, I am beyond excited for my first performance of Christmas carols on Friday (never too early)! Life in London really is coming together!