It seems rather self-indulgent, but there’s been a number of cool things this year, so looking back:
January
I released an EP of 2 songs and 3 remixes, called ‘Angel/Shirt’ by Cakefolder. It was released on the 25th, including remixes by Golden Cities, Stahlbürste Darling, and Last Years Man (5-track EP). I actually wrote the 2 songs in February 2017 as part of an unreleased 10-track album.
iTunes CD Baby Spotify Amazon MP3 Google Play Deezer
February
For the 4th year running, I spent my spare time in the month of February writing and producing a new album as part of the RPM challenge, which I would release in March.
March
I released the album ‘Confidence’ by CakeFolder on March 21st.
iTunes / Apple Music Google Play CD Baby Amazon MP3 Spotify
Ride the analogue wave with this whimsical, electronic, minimalist 10-song album about being full of confidence, or lacking confidence, and about taking someone into your confidence.
May
Paul O’Mahony was a member of the committee organising the Safehaven 2018 conference on May 11th to 13th, in Cork, Ireland, and he was kind enough to invite me along to attend. It was my first time in Ireland and my first time meeting Paul, so a huge thrill for me!
June
For a fews years now, it had been a personal goal of mine to speak at a conference in a professional capacity. I joined Toastmasters International in 2016 to start working on my public speaking skills, and in late 2017, having started working for a famous British department store chain, I was invited to speak at eTail Europe on June 19th, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London. If you’re wondering why April is not listed above, it is because I was preparing and practising my conference speech for June. About 200 people were in my audience, and my friend Thor came along to support me. The speech was a success – so much so that I decided I wanted to do it again, with a few tweaks!
August
This was the month when my employer went into administration, and was ‘rescued’ by a larger British retailer, so I set about trying to find a new job in earnest.
September
Both of the kids started at new schools this month, and all the changes in routine that this implies. They both flourished in their new educational establishments.
Having completed several rounds of interviews, I accepted a fantastic new job, to start late in October. My job at the department store chain suddenly got very interesting, as I relaunched the website, shortly before it was time for me to run the Humorous Speaking and Table Topics contest at my local speakers club, and deliver my new improved version of my conference speech at eCommerceExpo at Olympia London on the 27th.
October
I worked out my last few weeks with the department store chain, even finding time to record this fun video with my dear colleagues, and another one that we would eventually release in December. At the end of the month I started my new job.
November
In my new job I got to visit Berlin and, for the first time, Paris. Another proud first for me was winning Best Speaker at my speakers club, for this speech.
December
To commemorate the sad moment when my ex-colleagues at the department store chain would vacate our old head office, we released this video, which we filmed in an around the office, for my cover version of the famous song named after the famous street where the office was located.
I also participated once again in Karaoke Secret Santa, making a cover version of Livin’ On A Prayer and as a special bonus, with Jana, a cover version of Sovereign Light Cafe.
sm2n 