Playing the piano sounds good, Person. What song would you like to learn? Can you play any Einaudi? He is my favourite pianist. :)

That sounds a fabulous plan Nonperson. Your mum sounds cool!

Aubergine, what a lovely message to get from your sister. Get your baileys hot chocolate and we can toast!

I ****ing love Einaudi!!

I would love to learn one of his songs. Problem is I can't read sheet music so it takes me forever to learn anything. I'm not terribly good but can play fairly decently, I think..? Currently working on Jurassic Park and a song from a Final Fantasy game.

I have cider to toast with.

And yes that's a lovely message from your sister, Aubergine. How sweet. =)

I like mixed fruit ciders.

Ooh not long now!

Me too but they're so sugary.

True.

I’ve got my whisky ready and just waiting for midnight. I can already hear fireworks?!?!

I heard fireworks at 9:30 here! I think they were at a local theme park so were massive. I don't think I'll have any going off nearby.

That’s early.

I live near parks and a stadium, so it’s probably coming from there.

Three minutes to go!

Still not asleep so happy New year!
Fireworks are going off 3 mins early :plain:
And they are v loud!

Yay Beckie. You’re back.

We've nearly stayed up until 2018!

Nearly there!!!

Happy new year you gorgeous lot! All the best for 2018. Xxx

Cheers everyone!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be disappointed but...

HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody.

Thanks for being here tonight. =)

*watches the London fireworks on BBC*

I was there a few years ago!

*raises glass to everyone *

Thank you for keeping me company and being as fabulous as you all are. Now I can enjoy my whisky!

*has a little sofa boogie to the firework music on telly*

Thank you for the company, guys. :) *sips Baileys hot chocolate*


I hope you're not disappointed, Person. Hopefully this is your year!


Oh wow. You went to see the fireworks in London? Was it good?

It was pretty spectacular. Kinda emotional being there while everyone sang Auld Lang Syne too, strangely.

Just had my phone call from my dad. Him and my uncle are having whisky too.

You have to in Scotland, don't you? =P

Haha true! We do like our whisky!

I went to the Glenfiddich brewery place once when I was a kid!
Got family in Scotland.

Im being kept awake by the fact that I am boiling hot!
Strange.

Ooh I like glenfiddich!

Happy new year Beckie!

Turns out slightly tipsy piano playing is much harder than I thought it would be.

At least you’re playing the piano! I’m impressed.

You wouldn't be if you heard me play, hah.

I’m sure you are good. Anyway at least you are attempting it.

I expect you are better than you think, Person! I have considered getting an electric piano and learning to play. Mainly because I want to play Einaudi! Amazing that you love him too. I'd love to go and watch him. Don't think he's touring the UK this year though. Couldn't have a proper piano as I live in a flat and would need something I could play silently with headphones!


*Puts a fan on Beckie* I am in bed with my electric blanket on!

I'm a very slow learner... and I'm sure it would be much easier if I could read sheet music and not have to memorise everything!

But whatever, I enjoy it and it gives me something to focus on and... I dunno... release emotions or something like that.

Aubergine, I have a digital piano so it sounds like a piano but looks like a keyboard and I always plug in headphones to play.

It clearly does you good and that’s all that matters.

It's great that you can use playing the piano to release emotions and stuff. How do you find playing a digital one? I dabbled in keyboard when I was younger. Was never very proficient, but was able to work some songs out by listening to them. Used to really enjoy it. I have some Christmas money and a friend who's done her grade eight in piano has offered to give me Skype lessons...

I’m off to sleep now. It was fun seeing in the new year with you guys. All the best and good night. Xx

Night night, Lorraine. I hope you sleep well. Thanks so much for the company. You helped make my night! <3

Night night, Lorraine!

Digital piano is quite cool, obviously doesn't sound quite as good as a real piano but I find mine sounds better with headphones than without. But the best thing about it is the touch sensitive keys and it has the full 88 keys which you don't get with a keyboard so that makes a big difference. And obviously it's compact! Mine slides under the bed when not in use.

What can you do with 88 keys as opposed to 61 or whatever? I've only ever played on a keyboard, so wouldn't know what to do with the extra length! Cool that it sounds good with headphones, though I get what you mean about it not sounding quite as good as a real piano. Sometimes I tinkle with the real piano at church, but when I say tinkle and literally mean just fiddling about with some keys! Playing properly is a bit beyond me! nice that it slides under your bed.

Well when I had my keyboard I found the music I was trying to learn wanted me to use keys that I just didn't have! I think it's mostly the lower keys, so it depends what you want to learn really. If you want to learn Einaudi I'd definitely get the full 88 keys. I mean, it's doable without but won't be quite the same.

Oh I see. Thanks, oh wise Person. :) I think I might go for it! Used to find it really quite absorbing when I used to play keyboard, especially fiddling about trying to work out how to play things. I can't read music. Might get a beginners book or something to start me off so I can learn chords properly and things. How exciting!


Any plans for today? I'm going to my Mum's for lunch with my step-dad nad my sister. Not until about 2pm though, es everyone will be hung over. Mum sent me a text message a short while ago, and I think she's rather tipsy by the spelling errors!

Haha, hope you have a nice time with your family today (I want to say tomorrow!)

Piano is very absorbing, I think that's why I like it. It's not about being a piano genius but just having something really intense to focus on and it's very satisfying when suddenly it all comes together and sounds like a proper piece of music!

I haven't got any plans. I might wash the car.... ugh!

Thanks! :) Haha! I know what you mean about wanting to say tomorrow.


It is satisfying! I used to be able to roughly play Scarborough Fair on the keyboard. Love a bit of Simon and Garfunkel!


Washing the car sounds... Cold!

Cold.... but absolutely desperate. I have a white car and I don't even know when the last time I washed it was.... I refuse to take it to the Polish at the supermarket!

Oh dear! Well, washing it sounds like a good plan then! I think if I had a car, I would probably be lazy and take it to a car wash. I do not like getting wet outside in the cold! Make sure you wrap up warm!

I'm used to the cold. I work outside! I'm fine once I get moving... and I'd rather do it myself than take it to someone because that involves interacting with people and paying money! The exercise and being outside for a bit will do me good anyway.

Oh it's good that you're used to the cold! What do you do for work? I work in a hospital pharmacy. It is always toasty warm, sometimes too much so! It sure is cheaper to wash a car yourself. Exercise and fresh air is good; you're right.


It is hailing outside. I'm glad I'm in bed.

I've no idea what the weather is doing outside here... It's been pretty windy lately though.

I'm a horticulturist... specifically I work in a nursery growing plants for a garden so I deal with extreme cold and also hot in the summer.

Oh that sounds good! Do you enjoy it? My Uncle is a recovering alcoholic and he volunteers in a big nursery that grows all of the plants for the parks in the surrounding area. The work has done him the world of good. They've put him through horiticulture courses too, which he's really enjoyed. He's hoping to get paid work in that field at some point, but for now he's happy helping out a few days a week. :)



I'm not sure I could work with plants. I have killed cacti before, and I'm told that's pretty difficult! I like working with drugs. It's a bit of a passion of mine (odd, I know - I just find pharmacy fascinating and love that I'm helping people to stay alive in some small way) and I work with an amazing team.

It's good you enjoy where you work. I can't understand how people do jobs every day that they hate!

My job is basically my life... which actually probably isn't a very good thing but it's something I'm passionate about and it gives me lots of opportunities. And a lot of what we do is rescue work on rare plants as well so it is quite important. Some of the plants we look after are one of a handful in the country so I suppose that's pretty cool.

Horticulture is actually a really good thing for "people with problems", I don't know why really. It can be a therapy type thing but also seems to appeal to people who find normal life things difficult.