Tags
arranging, board games, Dungeon Petz, escaping pets, HMV Apollo, JEBO, Malcolm Sargent Festival Choir, Virgin Media
Another day and another missive from Virgin Media. These folks just won’t take a hint, even along the lines of “Please remove me from your mailing list” scrawled on a return envelope. Now that they have the contract to bring wifi to the Tube network no doubt the charm offensive will become even more, well, offensive. Despite all this, between bombardments of special offers and the like I managed to get a decent stint of arranging done yesterday and have done the same today, to the extent that I can breathe just a little more easily, for a few hours at least. I need to do some tutoring tonight, but I am optimistic that I can get on with some more work in the breaks I have, all of which should mean that this task will be out of the way by tomorrow afternoon, just in time for JEBO to take to the stage at the Apollo.
I have had another approach for arranging, so that will follow swiftly on the heels of this one, meaning that the composing proper is being pushed back a little, but, as there are no clear commissions on the cards at the moment, this is not really a problem, especially as the work I am doing in the meantime is bringing in some welcome income.
I tend to work best in small and intense bursts, and am pleased with the way things are going, even if I downed tools rather early yesterday evening to spend the remaining hours of the day locked in honourable combat over various gaming boards. Those charming Dungeon Petz, pictured yesterday, did not respond much to my care and attention, meaning that by end of the game they were sitting there miserably in their own muck, unsold and performing badly at various exhibitions. I should have let them escape when they were trying to make a run for it. I have yet to eke out a victory at this game, although my fortunes changed for the better later in the evening to restore my morale.
Thankfully, my musical skills appear to be much more fruitful and in demand, and there are various trickles of work coming in from here and there, meaning that I really am beginning to believe that the drought season of the early year is coming to an end. In fact, the next few days are going to be very busy indeed, especially if I am going to hit the various deadlines I have set myself as well as cramming in all the other work. The Malcolm Sargent Festival Choir is gearing up for a concert, likewise the Parliament Choir, and there is the JEBO appearance and various lectures to deal with as well. We are also heading swiftly towards the Easter season, traditionally a busy time for an organist, and this year is going to be no different for me, despite no longer having a full time post.
Despite all of this, there is still going to be time for the old rest and relaxation, so it looks as though there is a nice element of balance at the moment. There’s plenty of nothing to be done when the work stops, but the difficulty is finding the time to fit it all in…
Nicholas O'Neill 