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2nd January 2021 by Ben Barden Leave a Comment

Looking back at 2020

2020 wasn’t great really, was it?

This Instagram post from Rhys Wynne resonated with me. Specifically the opening:

I was listening to a podcast and they said this year has been “Net Neutral” for them.

I read this after I’d started putting together a list of highs and lows – it feels very apt.

Covid was (and still is) an obvious low. Sadly we lost my grandmother as the care homes were getting hit. A small group of us were able to meet for the funeral, which was a rare opportunity to see some of my family that didn’t involve Zoom.

I turned 40, which I have mixed feelings about. Originally I wanted to throw a party but that was obviously not possible. I did see a few of the family for a barbecue – the only other time I’ve been able to see most of them.

Working from home has been mostly good for me. Day to day it’s been quite samey – and I do miss the buzz of the London office. But I don’t miss the time and money I was spending on commuting 5 days a week. I also don’t miss the regular delays and overcrowding. It feels like a long time ago!

A big achievement was finding a flat I could afford, and having an offer accepted. It’s been a bit delayed, but I’m hoping it’ll complete and I’ll be able to move in the next few weeks.

Another achievement was getting my music on Spotify. It’s pretty niche, so I’m not expecting a lot of listeners – but it’s something I’ve put a lot of myself into, and this has long been a goal of mine. Here’s a playlist of the tracks I’ve uploaded so far.

My Nintendo Switch hobby site (Switch Scores) has been coming along nicely, with collaborations and help from a few different people. The site has been running for nearly 4 years (originally called World of Switch) and it’s great to see that others are finding the site useful – it motivates me to do more with it.

2021 may well turn out to be more of the same – but hopefully as the year progresses, we can see people again.

Other than continuing with my projects (Switch Scores and my music) I’d like to get back into blogging this year. Famous last words. After many years of blogging on and off, I’ve reached the point where I’m not sure what to write about here – or who I’m writing for. Perhaps I’ll figure that out and go somewhere with it. Or I won’t figure it out – but I’d still like to blog anyway. It’s good writing practice. (I’m not sure what for…)

If you’re reading, thank you and I hope you have a Happy New Year.

Filed Under: General

About the author

Web dev, bug finder, writer of niche music
Founder/coder at switchscores.com
Product Manager at Octopus Energy / Kraken Technologies Read More…

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benbarden

This was good! Nothing clever but 😁👍 This was good! Nothing clever but 😁👍
Watching Sophie Ellis Bextor on Graham Norton with Watching Sophie Ellis Bextor on Graham Norton with a band wearing animal masks/heads. A very 2020 way to round out a very surreal year. Great music, too! #HappyNewYear2021
Lunch was good today! Lunch was good today!
Guildford Castle, 25th Dec 2020. Merry Christmas. Guildford Castle, 25th Dec 2020. Merry Christmas. 

#loveguildford #guildford #guildfordcastle #christmas
Winter sun. Winter sun.
Sunday walk. Sunday walk.
Sunday afternoon walk. Sunday afternoon walk.
This year's #topnine ... This year's #topnine ...
#glutenfree beers 😁🕺 Oh hey, my latest musi #glutenfree beers 😁🕺

Oh hey, my latest music is now up on Spotify! Link in my profile!
New music coming soon to #spotify and most other o New music coming soon to #spotify and most other online stores. Release date tbc.

This is my 3rd release, containing 2 tracks: November Dawn, and Legacy Layers.

The tracks originally featured as part of my self-produced albums, Symmetry 1 and 2. Each track on Symmetry 1 has a companion track on Symmetry 2. These two are cut from the same cloth and are a kind of "trance guitar" style.

Newly-mastered for 2020, I think the music sounds nice and fresh. Maybe you'll like them!

Slowly building up my discography... you can find me under the name "GFD".
4pm. Must be November. 4pm. Must be November.
The #glutenfree way to have beer and Pringles. 🕺
Just arrive: Thirty years of #thedivinecomedy boxs Just arrive: Thirty years of #thedivinecomedy boxset 😁 this should be good. I've been a fan since 1996, and know the albums well. But I've missed loads of B-sides - and I know there are plenty. This set is a huge collection of music and will take some time to get through fully!!
Coffee time! Coffee time!
Anyone fancy a #glutenfree mince pie? And iced, no Anyone fancy a #glutenfree mince pie? And iced, no less! They're great!
My next music release is coming soon! My next music release is coming soon!
A 25 year epic journey: Way, way back in Septemb A 25 year epic journey:
 
Way, way back in September 1995… I wrote my first proper song, called “Waiting for the Sun”. It’s a bit basic.

Fast-forward to 2005. I had a pile of about 100 unfinished tracks. Tired of never finishing anything, I wanted enough tracks for an album. Over the next few years, I put together five albums, before taking a break in 2009.

In 2016, I decided to start music again under a new artist name – “GFD”. I did three more albums, a remix album, before writing two more albums under my own name. Eleven in total. (Album 10 was called “Ten”, in case anyone lost count.)

So, what now? Well, I’ve had a go at mastering one of my tracks, added some basic artwork, and uploaded it to stores.
The track has been approved, and will hit streaming services in a couple of weeks. It only took 25 years!

A truly epic journey… and the track is quite aptly titled Epic Journey.

Epic Journey by GFD hits Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Play, Tidal, Shazam, and Deezer on September 18th, 2020.

#music #spotify #epicjourney #gfd #instrumentalmusic
New glasses! New glasses!
When Mini Metro gets a bit chaotic. #nintendoswitc When Mini Metro gets a bit chaotic. #nintendoswitch
Gastly, Gastly, everywhere! #pokemongo Gastly, Gastly, everywhere! #pokemongo
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