# Well, my friends, we finally made it to the end of 2020 - an annus horribilis if ever there was one. But so many didn't and I can't help but wonder how many of those needlessly passed thanks to governments not giving the right advice or people simply not following the guidelines that were there.
Each day I see the UK figures for infections and deaths my heart sinks, I think of those left behind who have to face the senselessness of all of this. And I think of how lucky I have been to have worked from home through all of this (with the exception of three days earlier this month) and have been able to keep reasonably isolated even when guidelines have been relaxed.
2021 will be better but it's going to take time, the clock doesn't strike midnight and suddenly all our problems are solved. We still have to live with this for months to come but at least we can start looking to a new horizon.
As we go into the new year we must be a little nicer, hug those we love (and are able) just a little bit tighter, and be thankful for what we have rather than mourn what we have lost.
Thanks for stopping by and reading during 2020, for continuing to journey with this lost soul, meandering through the year with no real sense of direction. May you continue to stay safe, stay well, and have a happy new year.
# It snowed again overnight and has just started again this morning.
I love snow, there's just something so calming about it, especially watching it fall when there is no wind. How the flakes gently drift down to settle into that great white blanket. Snow is such a great leveller, it covers everything. It doesn't care what's under it, it just makes everything look the same and I really like that about it.
# I've decided to put work on the 'non-WordPress' version of the blog on hold. I need to focus and be more efficient with my time.
I need to study for work to improve my chances of getting a new role. I have also recently been neglecting the writing project which is frustrating. I need to overcome Resistance (as coined by Steven Pressfield) and get back in the swing of things.
Creating my own blogging engine (when I have a perfectly functional system in place that I have spent ages customising) is a luxury that I can't afford right now. Maybe I'll take some time here and there when I have some to spare and need a break but it just isn't a priority.
# And that is work done for 2020!
# With work finished for a few days the desk has turned into a makeshift studio.
No snow here, but hard frost this morning, and probably the same tomorrow morning.
I've thought about moving from WordPress a few times this year, but decided against it — rather than wrestle with a new blogging engine and writing workflow, I've reduced the number of plugins to just those I need.
I hear you. Ultimately, the goal would be for my workflow to stay the same (seeing as how I've already built my own layer on top of WordPress) but it's too much of an investment to build at the moment.
Oh, this (the makeshift studio) is exciting! Look forward to hearing any tracks you create.
# Happy New Year! Here's to a better 2021. # New Year on the moors.
# Since posting my (currently meager) setup yesterday I have added the USB audio interface. A USB mixer and audio interface may seem superfluous but it allows me to separate the TD-3 and Volca Drum, recording them simultaneously to individual audio channels in Reason. The TD-3 can initially be processed by the onboard effects on the mixer and the Drum can be processed using software. # I noticed a glitch in my blogging overlay and live RSS feed creation: I was accidentally using months without leading zeroes. It's been fine since I created it as the months have all been double digit but flipping over into January made it apparent. Hopefully that's now fixed.