Scratch My Back....

I haven't posted in a long time. I'll readily admit that (not least because there's no escaping the fact when your posts are dated!).

But whilst not a lots been going on here, that's not to say everything has been quiet on the Birmingham front - its more that I have been so exhausted so much of the time through a combination of doing things, being run down and the complete greyness everywhere that when I have had a chance to post all I've wanted to do is push the laptop aside and instead curl up on the sofa.
(On a side note I think that this non-posting is also linked in with the fact that I haven't read a book since Christmas, something I find incredibly weird, as I think that my brain just hasn't wanted to have to deal with thinking!)

However, despite the snuffles currently plaguing me, I'm finally breaking back through again. I've picked up a book (although I do occassionally shout at the person who owned it before me and wrote some rather silly things in the margins - its a genuine part of the joy of Oxfam books), started to feel a bit more smiley (hurrah for the sun!) and lo and behold, I've actually managed to get my fingers to the board and write a post.

Reason one is the fact that the sun is shining again. There is something so wonderful about the way the sun shines in winter, weak yet bold, as if its gathering strength again after having a sleep.

Reason two is that I've got back into the habit of listening to music again, not the least because I'm doing a lot of mindless data entry at work at the moment so I've got music to keep me sane. There is something so uplifting about a certain lyric, or a chord progression, or the sweep of the orchestration as the sun pushes through from the clouds that makes not just my face but my entire being smile. I've been positively beaming on occassions and I'm sure it must confuse my colleagues!
(on the music front, I am at the moment listening to the free preview (which might only be available to uk users) of Peter Gabriel's newest album called Scratch My Back, in which he covers songs by his favourite artists (a lot of whom are my favourites too :D) and in return they'll cover songs of his for a later album. This is so unbelievable beautiful that my first thing to do tomorrow lunch is head to the nearest record store and buy a copy. Its truly magical, especially the version of Mirrorball (though I've not made it through the album yet) (also I might be biased being something of a lifelong Gabriel fan, both for his solo work and his work with one of my favouritests of favourites - Genesis)

And reason three? Well, way back at the start of january I had an interview at work for a permanent position (I work through a temping agency at the moment) and they offered me the job. However, part of my reason for not letting slip sooner and also for my being blue nonetheless is that my start date was supposed to be the 12th April which even now seems like a very long time away. However, today I found out that they're bringing it back to the 29th of March with some training down in London the week before, and suddenly, it seems a lot closer and a lot more real!

Well this has been something of a rambling post! Maybe its because having spent so long without writing anything it all had to come out at once?
Tomorrow I'm off to my second exhibition of the month (which sort of makes up for not going anywhere in December or January), this time to Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Then I have a rehearsal this weekend with Peter Sellars (don't worry if you had to google him - I did!) which should be one of the most exciting things I ever do in my music making life. Then there's birthday meals out (friends not me), the concerts with Simon Rattle (to be broadcast on radio 3) at the start of March, dinner with other friends, the completion of baby clothes for those friends, the start of a jumper for myself, a visit from the Lovely's parents and a separate visit from my Grandma and before you know it'll I'll be starting my job!
(In other words, I'll try my hardest to get back on the posting wagon, but if I don't its all me, not you)

Keep happy and listen to music - it really is a miraculous cure for the weather worn soul
xxx