All posts by diana Stone

About diana Stone

Diana Stone is a performing composer and musician playing Piano Violin & Guitar. She currently plays with Orchard and The Sonic Boomers. Previously with Rock/Roots band Elephant Shelf and also the Delta Ladies who mixed roots acoustic music and electronica until the death of Vicky Martin who formed the band which was active for 17 years. Diana composes in a variety of styles from pop to rock to Jazz and and classical music. Diana is also expert in multi-media recording and music production.

I have applied for 8 jobs in 2 days

Job Search

I wonder if I will get any interviews?

It’s been a long time since I was in an office (2 years now) and 14 years since I had a job interview so if I do actually get as far as attending one its going to be a pretty weird experience.  My real problem is I am rubbish at phone calls, I much prefer emailing because it gives me time to think about what I am saying as I suspect that there are times when I don’t make as  much sense verbally as I should. I am going for everything from admin to IT work  and of course including government temping too.  Being 52 now is not going to help either I suspect. Having a long term depressive illness is a bit of  a drag too, as at the moment I am feeling reasonably well, but it tends to creep up on me when I least expect it. My finances are pretty dire now too. To give a rough analogy I am 2000 miles out over the Atlantic but but I only have 500 miles worth of fuel left so I am not going to reach NY… even with a very fair wind

What skills have I got ?

IT consultant/Developer:

Web and programming skills including the following:
php asp VB 6 Java SQL Perl C# and Html XML JavaScript  Ajax. UNIX LINUX Vba for MS Office
Photo-shop & Flash ActionScript
Ecommerce sites >
Click  >>Here for an example using php and Smarty with full paypal integration

Web hosting
Prince11 project management.
10 years commercial experience, central government projects, including managing ITC for 300 users at the Parole Board for England and Wales.

Office admin:Case working,  minute taking,  HR , reporting, diary organising,  file management, scanning photocopying, photocopier maintenance, preparing reports for audit & bla.

Musician Composer

PRS member ,Published composer

Radio play for solo material and for Band & Duo National and local
Cabaret Performer Music & Comedy

Previously performances at:

Kings head Theatre Islington, The Bull and Gate, Purple Turtle Camden Jazz after Dark Soho  The Celler Door  Covent Garden  The Joogleberry Theatre Brighton  Dingwalls  The Bull Barnes Neils Chain of music venues.  The Abbey & After Office Hours Bullet at Kentish town Oliver’s Jazz Bar Greenwich The Crown & The Cock Tavern Kilburn & the Music Palace.

My Solo Album is available as to buy as download on Amazon E Music Rhapsody ITunes & Napster Selling but very slowly.

I have a CD ready and mastered but I can’t afford to press it at the moment, partly due to my car blowing up.

I am a performing composer and musician playing Piano Violin & Guitar and Bass and some vocals though my voice is somewhat unusual. I regularly gig with the Rock/Roots band Elephant Shelf and also the Delta Ladies duo which mix roots acoustic music and electronica and comedy.
I have a solo project band called Glass Cage.I read, but my sight reading is not that fast.
Musical styles rang from Rock to Blues Jazz Folk and world Music also electronica.

I compose in a variety of styles from pop to rock to jazz and classical oeuvres. I am also expert in multi-media recording and music production. I have a full studio setup which allows me to produce from demo to master recordings.

Maybe I should teach Music?

I could do that at a beginners level for adults I think. OK that sounds like a plan.

So why am I going broke?  !!! ***$%^$%^$^%$***!!!

 

Somewhere over the Rainbow
Somewhere over the Rainbow

A quitter never wins, you don’t say

Musings, pictures

Well maybe.That’s what Napoleon Hill said anyway. So why don’t I believe in the power of positive thinking.
OK my problem is I have done quite a bit of positive thinking over the years and I have manged to get by but I have never really been able to get comfortable, perhaps this is just the human condition.

Battersea Buddha
House Boat

Cyclothmia is nothing to do with the Tour De France

Musings

Cyclothymia:

A mood disorder and a form of bipolar disorder. It is defined in the bipolar spectrum. Specifically, this disorder is a milder form of bipolar II disorder consisting of recurrent mood disturbances between hypomania and dysthymic mood. A single episode of hypomania is sufficient to diagnose cyclothymic disorder; however, most individuals also have dysthymic periods. The diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder is never made when there is a history of mania or major depressive episode or mixed episode. The lifetime prevalence of cyclothymic disorder is 0.4-1%. The rate appears equal in men or women, though women more often seek treatment.

Cyclothymia  is also a pain in the arse and severely screws up your life…

Dysthymic phase

Difficulty making decisions; problems concentrating; poor memory recall; guilt; self-criticism; low self-esteem; pessimism; self-destructive thinking; continuously feeling sad; apathy; hopelessness; helplessness; irritable, quick temper; lack motivation; social withdrawal; appetite change; lack of sexual desire; self-neglect; fatigue or insomnia

Euphoric phase

Unusually good mood or cheerfulness (euphoria); Extreme optimism; Inflated self-esteem; Poor judgment; Rapid speech; Racing thoughts; Aggressive or hostile behavior; Being inconsiderate of others; Agitation; Increased physical activity; Risky behavior; Spending sprees; Increased drive to perform or achieve goals; Increased sexual drive; Decreased need for sleep; Tendency to be easily distracted; Inability to concentrate

Ho Hum