Sigh... why did I choose this life? Well... I guess I can't really complain, the life of a freelancer musician... travelling, performing, and just doing what I like doing is quite fun! However, the travelling, the snatching of time here and there... and the running from place to place, to get home to be with family, to meet other commitments... well, when it is busy, it is crazy busy... but thankfully, when it is quiet... it is quite relaxing. On the other, when it is too quiet... then it gets a bit worrying!
Today was a hectic day... driving five hours... to teach, and get some administration done... pack bags ready for the next two weeks. Meet up with family, and kids and spend a couple of hours together... and then an early start to conduct a youth orchestra, then straight to the airport to rejoin the tour.
I won't be back home for another couple of weeks... and that always feels quite sad. I know that it places a huge deal of stress and work on my wife, and my kids are really quite well behaved (mostly...). I know that I did this more often in Europe, but somehow... I feel more stressed about it here. I'm not entirely sure why... perhaps it is because there is a lot of work that still needs to be done around the house. Perhaps it is the endless travelling and feeling like I don't have a moment to sit and just let my brain to catch up with things.
Even trying to write now... I'm being distracted by things that I need to do before I go to bed. Scan and send music to students... arrange tutoring and cover for missed lessons... arrange tutorials for university students... pack bags... do Antigen tests... book taxis... book extra accommodation... book extra travel.
I've started to use a management tool (Asana...), to try and keep track of things that I need to do. Just so that these things are out of my head and not bothering me with trying to remember them whilst trying to sleep. I'm that sort of person, if I don't write it down somewhere, then I'm going that have it rattling around and I will start to feel like I either need to do it immediately or I will forget about it!
I do relish the moments when I can just relax and just play music on stage! And it is an unusually busy coming few weeks (and the last couple of weeks...). Hopefully, whilst I'm on tour, I will be able to find moments to just get things sorted. The things that I can do online or by phone... and that will reduce the amount of feeling of being overwhelmed.
When I get back... I will have to see if my wife wants to just go on a holiday or a spa retreat for a weekend by herself! I'm sure that juggling kids and home, and her own busy working musician life is quite stressful and overwhelming in its own right... even if she does have family support nearby now.
Anyway... for the first time in quite a long time. Writing isn't settling my brain and easing my mind... I will have to take a break for the evening. Sleep... that will be the way to clear my mind. At least tonight, I sleep at home.
I can also be found cross-posting at:
Hive
Steem
Publish0x
Handy Crypto Tools
Ledger Nano S/X: Keep your crypto safe and offline with the leading hardware wallet provider. Not your keys, not your crypto!
Binance: My first choice of centralised exchange, featuring a wide variety of crypto and savings products.
GMX.io: Decentralised perpetual futures trading on Arbitrum!
Kucoin: My second choice in exchanges, many tokens listed here that you can't get on Binance!
FTX: Regulated US-based exchange with some pretty interesting and useful discounts on trading and withdrawal fees for FTT holders. Decent fiat on-ramp as well!
MXC: Listings of lots of interesting tokens that are usually only available on DEXs. Avoid high gas prices!
Huobi: One of the largest exchanges in the world, some very interesting listings and early access sales through Primelist.
Gate.io: If you are after some of the weirdest and strangest tokens, this is one of the easiest off-chain places to get them!
Coinbase: If you need a regulated and safe environment to trade, this is the first exchange for most newcomers!
Crypto.com: Mixed feelings, but they have the BEST looking VISA debit card in existence! Seriously, it is beautiful!
CoinList: Access to early investor and crowdsale of vetted and reserached projects.
Cointracking: Automated or manual tracking of crypto for accounting and taxation reports.
Poloniex: One of the older regulated exchanges that has come into new ownership. I used to use it quite a lot, but have since stopped.
Bitfinex: Ahhh... another oldie, but a goodie exchange. Most noted for the close affiliation with USDT and the Basic "no-KYC" tier!
