The Start

So this is going to be my first and last post of the year. A good start? Well I dunno....

The first breath
Hi I guess. I'm Daryl. I'm 26 years old and live in Norfolk. I've lived in Norfolk my whole life and I don't regret it one bit. It's a lovely part of the country. I'm a musician and graphic/web designr. Recently I was made redundant and I'm now self employed, and this is part of the reason why I've made this blog.

The year and explanation.
So this year 2011 has been pretty insane for me. I guess the big thing that happened this year is that I became a Dad for the first time. A beautiful baby girl, born 17th July named Billie. Pretty mental! I didn't think I would ever get married let alone have offspring.
Another great moment this year was I went on tour with my band Hello Bear. A label sponsored tour and joint tour with another local band called "The Barlights". To many stories for one blog, but it was one of the best moments in my life I think.
Bad and badist bit of the year, well what I said earlier - being made redundant. Not uncommon in this day and age I guess, but it was a first for me. The job I had (web and graphic designer) was probably the most cushy job I've ever had. I got to work with lots of bands providing design and the office where I worked was 6 minute bike ride from my house. Things were looking great...... Then around September the owner drops the shell that we're not earning enough money in the company and basically we're going to have to close. A swam of butterflies circled in my belly and thousands of things ran through my mind. Such as how am I going to provide for my family, what's Christmas going to be like, what the hell am I going to do! I then carried on, sort of not believing that this was real. Time soon crept up on me and before I knew it no more wages, no money in the bank.
I'd been searching the internet for jobs. There are jobs out there, but I don't want to have to go back in to retail, I don't want a factory job and I don't fancy wiping bums. So looking for something designed based was priority....finding somewhere on my doorstep was pretty much out of the questions. Most people in the town where I live don't even know what a computer is, let alone a whole company using them for graphics etc.
The jobs I came across basically ask you to be a super fabulous person with a heap of qualifications. I'm going to hold my hands up - I don't have any. But I thought experience counted for something....apparently not..
So the alternative was and is to go self employed. Which I am officially from January. The trial period of "if this is going to work" is now over. I'm left with not a lot of confidence to be honest. Starting a business around Christmas time - I'm basically in a losing battle. I've whored myself about, and I've had bits and bobs come through - but nothing to keep me and my family a float. I'm blaming it on the season and I'm extremely optimistic for the future....well I got to be. I could so fall into the dark void of "not being arsed"....Scary.

So Why a blog?
....well folks, a blog. There are many reasons. 1. I need to get traffic to my site by all means possible - so blogging is a good tool to do this. 2. I lead such an interesting life, that hopefully you will find me interesting.

Lets see what happens. Here's to 2012!

Daryl

currently listening to: Joe Jackson - Look Sharp!