New Years Resolutions… what’s next..

Just a couple of points that I’ll refer to later this year for guidance. It’s funny how a week away from mon-fri ‘work’ clears the mind and really lets you see things as they are. If you want something, go get it… Time is never on your side, the stars will never be aligned – get your finger out and go get it. The end.

Music

LAST YEAR saw only two finished tracks come out of the studio. Fair enough, these weren’t ‘run of the mill’ house tracks, that consist of pretty much the same timbers each time. These were full on studio tracks, vocals, bass, drums, guitars.. with song structures and fuller arrangements.. but even still, two tracks in 52 weeks?? Not good enough.

THIS YEAR I need to free up more time (yes, this means sacrifice going out for lunch on a weekend, or going to cinema on Wednesday for Orange Wednesdays BOGOF, or even just getting back from work and putting my feet up). Even though you can’t ‘force” creativity in this industry, you CAN learn new software, you CAN find new samples, you CAN design artwork for releases, you CAN. Stick at it and good things will come. I remember I had a quiet couple weeks, the closest I’ve been to experiencing writers block, but I just kept at it. New track idea, a coffee, new arrangement, a walk for some fresh air, and KAPOW, in one day I’d created TWO new tracks.. they were named “Forwards” and “backwards”, and featured on set lists and compilations around the world; including Tiesto naming one his “favourite track” on radio 1.

Travel

LAST YEAR We visited Morocco, for what was going to be a lazy/feet up beach holiday. This didn’t work out too well as our hotel was 130 miles away from the coast. Instead, we ended up having a Hovis-holiday (best of both!) sunbathing during the day, and traveling through the souks, seeing beggars, snake charmers, story tellers by night. You can view the photo album here: http://www.michaelburns.co.uk/blog/flickr/tags/morocco/.

We also visited Cuba in November, which was great! One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.. even though we only had 4 days out of 14 of nice weather! You can view the photo album here: http://www.michaelburns.co.uk/blog/flickr/tags/cuba/.

THIS YEAR we’ll be off to Las Vegas as Louise’s mam and dad are renewing their wedding vows for a laugh.. including Elvis music and a mini dance off.. oh god! We’ve decided we only want to spend a short time in Vegas as we’ve been before, and so we’re looking at flying inland to a couple of other states. Like last year, I’m going to be looking for a week away in the sun too (or if we’re lucky.. two weeks!), and so I’m thinking Mexico, Goa, Egypt, or somewhere down west coast of Africa.. who knows.

Food

LAST YEAR I cooked / baked a hell of a lot, but it seemed to fizzle out a tad over the last couple months.

THIS YEAR I want to get into Thai cooking, as everything I’ve tried Thai has been really nice. I’m also going to bake more too.. which means more cookies, more cheesecake, and ultimately more waist (that’s not a type on ‘waste’ either, as there will no doubt be less ‘waste’ resulting in more ‘waist’, and of course, bigger pants)

Exercise

LAST YEAR I worked hard at getting fit. You’d have found me in the gym 3 or 4 times a week, and in the jacuzzi every Friday night for “Friday Night – Jacuzzi Night” Cooking healthier foods on the whole, and eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg meant for healthier looking skin.

THIS YEAR I plan to keep it up. I’m happier with my figure now, I’m happier with this healthy lifestyle (being a member of the gym for 4 years now). At times it’s hard, but I like hard. I like the feeling you get after a workout, where you know you pushed it hard, and the sweat on your kit proves it. I like the aching the day after!

Experience

LAST YEAR I didn’t check a lot off my “things to do in 2008″ list, which I’m a little cheesed about, but I did get some stuff done.

1. I started ‘Wall Climbing’.
2. I bought a new camera (Nikon D60) to take up photography.
3. I cooked more, mastered the risotto and home made soups with home baked bread!
4. I realised I may have developed a minor version of social phobia (or just enjoyed my own company more, depends how you look at it), and so made an effort to ‘get out more’ with friends, be it coffee, cinema, food, gigs, etc. This spanned from producing music 24/7, it was hard work, and intense at times, but I loved it and wouldn’t have had it any other way.. the down side, I didn’t see much of anyone and started to enjoy my own company more than other peoples. This isn’t necessarily ‘complete’, more a work in progress.

Surfing was a to-do, and so was kayaking / white water rafting. So this year I’m doing this stuff:

1. London weekend trip
2. Edinburgh weekend trip
3. Canoeing / Kayaking
4. Surfing
5. Camping out in Wales
6. Beach BBQ in Cornwall (maybe surf too)

I’ll be adding more to this i’m sure, but it’s a start. Even with the global recession in full force (for another couple years I’d say), I still want this year to be a GET THINGS DONE year, less talk, more.. pork? (hmm, pork rhymes, but makes little sense… imagine the word “fun” rhymes with “talk” and we’re happy!)

Happy 2009 everyone, and if you’ve any info on the above that might help get this stuff ticked off, let me know!!

So, work was.. bearable today, mainly due to popping out for a coffee / chat for lunch with Vicky, a girl from work I’ve gotten to know pretty well over the last couple of weeks.

I didn’t really have any plans for the night, but decided on the way home that I’d record some new material for the album. In the process of re-tuning my acoustic, I manage to snap the G-string [doh!]. I consider starting a new project in Cubase, something percussive that I can write to on a later date (once I get a new string :p), but really don’t feel like sitting infront of the computer all night.. by this point I realise the only plan I had is now dead.

I feel restless, so consider cooking something for tea. I realise that due to a holiday later this week to Morocco, I haven’t placed an order with Tesco online to save throwing everything out the day I leave, and hence have no food in the house. I consider popping out and buying some salmon, but I don’t really feel like driving.

I decide I’ll go for a jog. Not a long one like, maybe 30 mins or so. I grab my stuff from my gym bag, get changed, grab my iPod, tune into ‘James Holden – The Idiots Are Winning‘, and leave the house to start warming up.

Immediately I’m hit with the smell of horse manure. Excellent.

I’m heading for the nearest canal, about 10 mins away from my house. 6-7 minutes into the jog, I cross a busy dual carriage way (Birmingham New Road), and head towards a small roundabout.

As I approach the roundabout I hear a muffled voice shouting something. I realise there’s a car approaching me, slowing down for the junction with the window down. As the car gets closer, I see a bald man, middle aged, doing the ‘wanker’ hand signal. He shouts the word “waaaaankeeeeeeeeer” and drives off.

It wasn’t until I crossed the road and the car had driven off way up the road that I realised “hey, maybe that aimed at me?”.. after all, I was on my own, and he did appear to be looking at me when he shouted the “waaaaankeeeeeeeeer” remark. I feel my blood start to boil, but I let it go. He’s in a box that has wheels powered by a motor – I’m on my legs, that have shoes powered by what little lunch I had today.

Suddenly I’m hit with that sweet smell of fresh cut grass. I feel euphoric for a moment, like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I pick up speed a little and decide I’ll take a different route today.

I approach the canal and take a left instead of the usual right. I have no idea where I’ll end up, and to be honest I couldn’t care less. Immediately off the roadside exit to the canal, I’m fighting nettles, brambles, raging trees and a muddy path. It feels like I’m taking a route that nobody has tread for years. I finally make it onto the canal side, and resume normal pace.

It’s started to rain lightly, actually, it’s been like this since I started out, but it seems to have gotten a little heavier in the last minute or so.

I see a tunnel in the distance… it looks long, but I decide I’ll take that route. As I enter the tunnel, I realise how long the tunnel is (probably about 1000 yds or so). A railing has appeared beside me, put there to stop people falling in, I think to myself “aah, that’s a good idea” and carry on.

200 yards into the tunnel the hand railing has moved in towards me about 2 feet, and it hasn’t left me much room to run. By this point I can’t see more than 1 or 2 feet infront of me. In the distance, a burning white light shines, being the other end of the tunnel. I realise that between me and that dot of light, there is nothing but black, wet, rat-infested, sewage-scented darkness. I almost loose my footing on a raised cobble and consider my chances of making it through without falling over something [a rat, or perhaps a human body], or falling into the canal [and swimming with rats, and perhaps human bodies].

I turn back, and immediately feel like there’s somebody chasing me. I sprint towards the light at what feels like a superhero speed. I reach the end [beginning] of the tunnel, I feel about 9 years old at this point and start laughing to myself. “That felt great!” I thought. I couldn’t remember the last time I was chased by someone and had to run away!

I don’t want to head back already, so I turn around to face the “scary tunnel”, and notice some old wooden steps going up and over it. “Excellent, I’ll run up those guys” I pant. As I get to the top of what feels like a mountain of steps, I can’t help but feel like Rocky.

I contemplate screaming “aaaaiidreiiiaaiaaanannnn” but figure I’d look a bit daft, so carry on running.

The rain has gotten heavier, and now I’m hit with the smell of warm tarmac that you get when it’s warm and raining. Oddly, I love that smell, so feel another lift of energy and pick up the pace. I realise I’ve pretty much done a full circle, and have ended up close to the “wanker man in car”. I suddenly feel angst. “What was his issue?” I think, my blood boils again. “What the f*ck was his issue?!” I think again, but in a more aggressive tone.

I decide I’m going to track him down. I know he was a man. I know he had a wrist, with which he actively showed me a “wanker” jesture. I’m very confident he was driving a silver 4×4 car of some sorts, and I’m fairly certain it had 4 wheels! “Right, I’m onto this bastard” I think. I’m going to hound him down and…. beat him?.

I’ve now ran half way through the little town he drove into. I’m focused, I’m angry, I’m running, and I’m tiring by the minute! At this moment I recall “silver” being quite a popular colour for a car. I approach the end of the town and feel both relieved and furious that I didn’t find him, but I feel good that I sought revenge and didn’t back down.

I’m wet, a little out of breath, and ready to head back home. The rain is still coming down, and the faint smell of manure begins to linger in the air again.