Tag Archives: blogging

Winter is here to stay. And I drink instant coffee now.

It’s Saturday morning. I’m showered. Dressed. My hair is washed and dried. I’ve got my toasted bagel and cream cheese with a banana for breakfast. A cold glass of milk. And a hot cup of coffee. It’s instant coffee. I drink instant coffee now.

And it’s snowing outside. Yes, it’s like the snowpocalypse today. We’re supposed to get about 10 to 20 cm. It wouldn’t be so bad – it’s actually kind of pretty. But the lack of sun makes it hard to get up in the morning. I guess winter really is here to stay. And I’ll say it – we’ve been lucky up until now.

But back to instant coffee.

Apparently, it’s all the rage in Denmark where my family comes from. I held off drinking it because I love the taste of roasted coffee. There’s nothing better than waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

But I found I would brew an entire pot of coffee and only drink one or two cups. And so, instant it is. I have different versions of it. Folgers. Tim Horton’s French Vanilla. I might even try Starbucks Pumpkin Spice next.

I’m committed to this. I even tossed my old coffee maker which was nearing the end of its life in with the pile of junk to be picked up.

Yesterday, I spent the day cleaning out my office in preparation for my move in March. That’s not much time. Maybe three and a half months. I was hoping to get rid of junk before it snowed. Oh well. But I managed to find a local company who will pick up my goods on Monday. I managed to get rid of three boxes of random stuff.

Books, cd’s, dead appliances. I’ve gone through two HP printers. One died last month after putting in a new cartridge in. I was not impressed. There’s a huge pile waiting to be picked up and it feels good to purge.

Next up is my bedroom. I really need to downsize on the amount of clothes I have and give stuff away. So if you’re in Edmonton and need some plus sized business casual clothes, let me know.

I haven’t done much cooking this past week as I am still having a problem with the mice. Finding a new nest near the traps was enough to give my notice to my landlords. I’d like to have a place lined up by early February and all the paperwork signed and sealed.

I’m keeping an open mind to what kind of home I want and where I want to live. It will really boil down to affordability.

My dream condo I was looking at last year has been on the market but for much higher than I can afford. I reached out to my friend last night – her mother owns it. I said if your mom is willing to lower the rent I’d be happy to take it. We’ll see. She may not want it to sit empty that long. But — sometimes it pays to wait for the “dream” tenant who rents from you for 5-10 years. Right?

For $1350 a month, that view would be worth it alone. I want to live here (the photo was edited digitally, the floor isn’t that white).

Condo for rent at 8220 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB.

It’s an investment.

I’m also going to need a lot of furniture if this works out. Like a couch that big. And then a piano.

And on that note, my coffee is getting cold. I’m off to listen to create some playlists on Spotify. Eat my bagel. And maybe even put up my Christmas decorations. Because what else can we do right now?

Happy Saturday.

Update: six months and nearly 300 followers!

Good morning! It’s a bright and sunny Thursday morning. I’m sitting in my living room anxiously awaiting the painter. Today’s the last day of painting and I can’t wait to get my condo back into shape. I have things to do. Places to be. And new projects to work on.

Can you believe it’s been six months since I started this blog? Mostly Single was created in April 2019 as a way to help keep motivated on my fitness journey. But I realized that fitness wasn’t something I was passionate about – and so I started neglecting this blog.

Even though I’ve tried breaking up with music many times over the years, it keeps calling me back again and again. I bit the bullet this week and ordered a new midi keyboard. Unfortunately, it was a piece of you know what. It’s boxed up and ready to be shipped back to Amazon. My first return! I hope I don’t get banned – I’ve heard that’s possible.

So, what has happened in six months? A lot!

Even though “Mostly Single” is now defunct, I have given this blog a complete overhaul and started fresh. But don’t worry. A lot of my articles are saved in draft form – to be repurposed and republished later. Now I can focus more on the positive things in life – DIY projects, music, writing, and whatever life throws my way.

I will be shopping for a new MIDI keyboard very soon. Once the renovations have been completed and my condo is back to normal. It currently looks like a war zone. I have several music projects I want to get done – including a long awaited Christmas album. Yikes. It’s almost Christmas.

DIY Projects & Home Improvement

Over the years, I’ve done a lot of DIY projects but haven’t documented them. I learned to make jewelry, went through a Picasso phase and painted everything I could get my hands on, went through a photography phase. And now – I’m entering into a new phase of DIY home improvements and refurnishing furniture.

I’m moving in the spring into my dream condo. The condo needs some love. And my furniture – rather than buying all new furniture to match the decor, I had a brilliant idea of stripping the cheap Ikea shelves and cabinets – and making them look fresh and modern.

I inherited some items from my dad’s house. Vintage wood from the 70’s. I’m not sure if I’ll be refinishing them. Maybe just a touch up on the top. I also took my mum’s desk that has been in the family for decades. These pieces will look great in my new living room.

DIY Music

I’ll be writing regular weekly articles on DIY music tips that I’ve tried over the years. With 40 years of experience to pull from – I have a lot talk about and share with you. I hope to also eventually record some tutorials. But that will wait until I have my studio set up in my new pad.

Ad Free Website

As promised, this blog will remain ad-free. While this means a loss in potential revenue for me, I’ve included ways that you can help with covering the costs. I’ll be publishing an Amazon wish list soon and have set up a donation link via PayPal. Just scroll down to the bottom of the screen and offer to buy me a cup of coffee or two.

New Releases

I’ll be working on some new releases for this fall. I’ve already released “Remember Me” a piano single, and a cover of “Time After Time” which is pending a sync license. Once the new studio is finished, I hope to record on a regular basis. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Fitness & Well-being

Fitness is still a goal in my life. I’m eating healthy again, making salads and healthy dishes. I’m more active and do lunges, squats daily – I’m even riding the cycle again. When I move, I’ll have a fitness centre and access to nature trails. I just can’t wait for the lifestyle change. Being so close to the River Valley will be a huge bonus – I can get back into photography too.

Inspirational Posts

Yes, this will still be a part of my blog. People love these posts. I have a new series out called “Advice from my grandmother.” This series includes quotes, verses and sayings that my grandmother had written in her memoirs “My Journey.” I’m excited to share some of these with you.

Training at work has been stalled due to budget cuts. The future of employment is uncertain at this stage. A new government can mean a lot of changes in the work we do. We’re already seeing cuts to hospitality. When I am able to take courses at work and on my own dime, I’ll share my learnings with you.

Stats and Followings

This blog is now sitting just shy of 300 followers. I’m amazed! I expected to lose followers when I stopped posting. But the numbers continue to climb. I have a goal. If I earn up to 1,000 followers this year – I will invest in the pro business plan and ditch my music website. The pro plan has all the bells and whistles. But for now, I’d like to see how this blog does organically. Readers are from around the globe – reaching as far as India which is mind blowing.

Thank you!

Thank you all for being here. Especially for those who have been here since April and followed me along this journey and path of self-discovery. You’re never too old to learn and you’re never too old to change what you want in life. The key is to continue to make new goals and strive for self-improvement. And to take what you’ve learned about yourself – and share it with others.

Have a great Thursday – make sure to hit that follow button if you haven’t already!