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Red Writing
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Just when I thought going back to work was bad...I read this. Does that mean Bush and Blair (sounds like a pub!) will want to invade North Korea? (I know I've been on holiday and people keep telling me the war in Iraq is over - although I think I missed the official closing ceremony, was there a party with fireworks, dancing girls and confetti?) But to recap - just incase I have got this all wrong. US and UK send in weapons inspectors to look for "weapons of mass destruction" and find none. They invade Iraq anyway, killing about 2380 innocent civilians and according to some contravening the Geneva convention. They still don't find any proof. They take over Baghdad and declare the war is over. Still no proof of weapons, sevaral cities bombed and reduced to rubble and they still don't know where Saddam is. Now they find out Korea has weapons of mass destruction. Meanwhile, SARS is spreading globally, killing hundreds and no-one has mentioned chemical warfare? Perhaps it's just me........I imagine Saddam is sitting somewhere safe with his breathing aparatus on laughing at the devastation he has caused. ..........but perhaps I've got it all wrong again. I think it must be the weather. Everyone seems very depressed today. Me, because I am back at work and everyone else for other reasons. Isn't life a bitch when it doesn't go to plan. Come on people, cheer up!!! It's meant to be me who's fed up being back here. Still I enjoyed the Laura Cantrell concert last night. There are times when you realise you have outgrown your present life. A few days away from the city and I realise that although it really is a beautiful city and has a lot of great things going for it. I don't think I want to live here any more. The quality of life is not what I expected this far down the line. The daily drudge of work and too little play will begin all over again, too soon. There is something wonderful about being away when the weather is nice. You not only loose all sense of time and space but it's easy to become detatched from what you know as the 'real' world and allow your dreams to take shape and form into plans for the future. I enjoyed my break so much this time. Perhaps because the last seven months have seen a steady troop of builders (or not - whatever they felt like really) taking over my house, added to which, work has been a bit fraught at times since Christmas. Wars have been fought and are still largely unresolved. The sense of impending doom I had in January has waned slightly but there is still an unexplained uneasiness at the back of my mind and I realised - like probably 80% of the population over the break - that something has to change. Spring cleaning has to be done - not the domestic stuff - the life-changing alteration stuff. As we drove back into the city last night, vision blurred and with a heavy heart, something inside was telling me this was not the right place to be any more. Now I am in search of a few answers and although in a few days, everything will be back to 'normal' the normal is becomming less and less the norm. I am looking for the alternative, the exception. The obvious time-restrained restrictions like schooling, work etc will no doubt take over again, all too quickly but when the schooling is done and the parental obligations have waned enough for the children to stand on their own two feet, then it will be time for us to move away and make more of our lives. There has to be more than this. Life is too short. No matter how I try, my body-clock just keeps the same work time. I thought I'd get really fed up with this - or really tired considering the manual labouring I've been doing over the last few days, but I like it. I like being ahead of the day and taking time to read emails, blogs, and think about story plots. I almost made up a new phrase .......you know the one about "the early bird catches the worm". On a writing theme it was playing in my mind as The early word catches the....... but I couldn't think of anything appropriate to rhyme with worm, on a writing theme........the early word catches the....publisher......the book deal......the imagination. Mmm I like imagination. I hereby offer a new phrase to the world. The early word catches the imagination. (inner voice shouting - so get off the computer and start writing!!). I also am a great fan of displacement activity. This appears to be genetic. SED who is meant to be revising for exams has been willingly helping in the garden - not just the sticking a little seed in a plant pot sort of gardening but long hours, pruning, planting and generally tidying up. I fear it was at a similar stage in my school career, that I took up an interest in gardening! But if she's like me I know her enthusiasm will wane after the exams when there is still lots to be done. Still, it gets her away from the pc and tv. She's even started playing the keyboard again. I think the template problem is sorted now. (Thanks to those who commented and helped). The problem seems to have been the time delay between changing the template and the changes taking effect in blogger, so when I did change something a week or so ago, I thought it was ok, but it must have been all wrong. Anyway, think it's ok now. The sun came out again and with it my shorts and t-shirt - weilding the pick axe was hot work and almost have blisters. Spent all afternoon in the garden then remembered my writing class started again tonight. It was really nice to get back to the class and meet some familiar faces and some new ones. I am determined to write more than one story this term, so will go off on holiday with notepad and pens and make sure I get at least the outline written by the weekend. It's so nice not being at work. It's so nice not being at work. It's so nice not being at work. It's so nice not being at work. It's so nice not being at work. It's so nice not being at work. Did I mention, it's so nice not being at work. Ok, that's it. I give up. Something or someone has totally broken my template (I concede I am the most likely candidate but as I haven't been in the template to do anything different, I am blaming blogger). HELP! Good things and bad things: Standing at the front door at 01:30 this morning, full moon barely visible through the harr, I could smell the sea. That was a good thing. Eating chocolate for breakfast. (Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I think it's a bad thing. I feel sick.) Weilding pick axe to break up soil to flatten garden area. Good thing. Welcoming SYD back from trip to see friend in Germany. Good thing. Making up exam revision timetable for SED. Good thing and bad thing! Robin sitting on rock in garden beside newly planted flowers. Good thing. Harr still around. Good thing - makes weilding pick axe much easier without blazing sunshine. Cold toes. Bad thing. Hangover. Bad thing. Someone sabbotaging my template. Very bad thing. This morning I was going to write a short review about the Christy Moore concert I went to last night - which was fantastic. (Playing with Donal Lunny and Declan Sinnott for over two hours of foot tapping music interspersed with beautiful ballads, delivered in a manner only Christy can do. What I like about his music, is that the roots and traditions are in Irish poetry and each song, whether political, amusing or everyday observations, uses his talent as a poet as much as his musical talent. It was a bonus to see and hear Donal Lunny and the two of them playing bodhran almost had me walking up to the stage to ask if I could join in - or at least stand closer to watch, admire and generally wish I could play well. Lost in my own world of appreciation at times it was a wonderful night and made me long to visit Ireland again, as this was where we bought the last cd I have of him. I took my bodhran with me on that trip and many an evening was spent in the kitchen of the rented house, playing along to his music. If I wasn't tied up with the horrors of work on 28th June I would love to go to the Lisdoonvarna Festival. However, there are ways around that obstacle! This tour is more remarkable when you realise that Christy has been off the road for several years due to stage fright. The hall was more intimate than the huge crowds he could attract but I think it is all credit to him to overcome his fear and come back for his fans. Well done Christy. You are a creat example to anyone with inner demons). Anyway I was going to write a review of this great concert but I received an email this morning which made me feel appreciated and I wanted to write about that instead. I don't get many emails about the blog but this was lovely and mentioned that I had been linked to on Thinkingsandlinkings. Christina is a creativity coach (which coincidentally sort of links to the above). I haven't heard much about creativity coaches but I think everyone should have one. I think all artists, writers and creative people go through peaks and troughs of creativity and when I think of the possibilities which might be available if I had someone there, prodding me and encouraging me to be more creative I know that this is something which would really develop me personally and practically. (Generally I rely on friends and family for that but it doesn't seem the same) So thank you Christina, for the email and the link, I will be keeping an eye on your sites from now on. Update - sun now shining and it is warm. Waiting on visitors and during that hiatus of when you don't want to start doing much because guests may arrive, the door bell went. It was the builders - despite being asked not to appear today. Haven't seen much of them for months but they seem to have an uncanny habit of turning up just when I don't want them around! They have checked what they need to get to finish off a few more things and left. Meanwhile I am a very happy easter bunny as I have now put all my toys into the new room in the extension. There were going to be fights over who would use this room the most but as I've put the pc, keyboard, guitar, bodhran and penny whistle in already, I'm staking my claim first. All I need now is my easle and paints and I have my own self-contained studio with lovely garden view. *reminder to self, must organise blinds to keep the sun out a bit* :-) Edinburgh has seen wonderful weather over the last few weeks. It was almost predictable that it would rain on the first day of my holidays! I thought six hours of opera might be too much in one sitting. It wasn't. I went to see Götterdämerung yesterday, the last in Wagner's ring cycle and although I had missed the first three, it was wonderful. The setting was more minimalistic than I had anticipated and the costumes not the ostentatious, colourful, flamboyant ones I had imagined. But somehow it all seemed to gel together, the voices and music were of course spectacular and generally, despite a slight disaster with the ring of flames, it worked well. I cried when poor, stupid Siegfried died. I cried when Brünnhilde's love for him and the knowledge that the curse of the ring must be broken, proved stronger than her love for herself as she rode upon her horse, Grane, into the burning funeral pyre. This adaptation by Scottish Opera depicted succinctly, in a contemporary way, the struggle between pessimism and admiration for the affirming power of love. It is what makes the opera one of the great pieces of western art. It is also a timely reminder that one should never submit to the darkness, whether individually or globally. I am sorry I missed; Das Rheingold, Die Walküre and Seigfried. If I manage to see them in the future, at least I will know that I saw them in the order Wagner wrote them - i.e. Götterdämerung first. (Big thanks to L & S for the ticket, sorry S missed it - hope the back is better very soon!) Why is it all men do it? Perhaps it's part of the obligatory driving test for men that women just don't get tested on (and of course we would fail!). I'm talking about picking your nose whilst the car is stopped at traffic lights. My last encounter with a nose picker was when the man in question was so engrossed in his pursuit he parked straight across the exit I was trying to come out of - unfortunately this gave me an even better view than I would have liked. But the good weather has brought about a whole new entertainment for the holidays. I am grateful to SYD for bringing it to my attention (but equally glad I wasn't witness on this particular occassion) However, I formally open this new holiday activity with an obvious one and encourage you all to give me more suggestions..... Things not to do whilst driving your open topped convertible around town. 1.Pick your nose Really looking forward to leaving work today as I won't have to come back for almost two weeks. The sun is shining and it will be great if the weather stays good whilst I am able to enjoy it. Hoping to get out and about as much as possible to both the mountains and the sea. Was unexpectedly offered a ticket for Götterdämerung last night so am really really excited about that. It will be a great start to the holiday and a wonderful way to escape for a few hours and forget about everything. This is a great horoscope for today "Try not to get too down on yourself. It isn't you, it's everyone else! As the Stars change their position, you seem to be surrounded by unpleasant people and acts of meaningless antagonism. Stop and think about this -- maybe a shift in your attitude could make all the difference. In either case, don't let what you can't control stop you from going about your day. Getting some alone time to rest and rejuvenate is your best bet this evening." Fat chance! Why can't they say nice things like, you are going to have a really really fantastic day. Everyone is going to be really really nice to you and nothing and no-one is going to upset you or say anything unpleasant. Lie to me damm it! Attitude shifts are all well and good if you can do it but sometimes it's trying to change other people's attitude towards you that's the hard bit. There comes a point when you just have to stop trying. Something crappy has happened to my template - which is really weird because I haven't been into it to do anything! Oh and if anyone knows what the html code is for making the screen resize in any browser so you can see the whole thing, please email me.  I don't think I like the idea of Dolly the Sheep being put on display in the Museum in Edinburgh. They say they wanted the display to look as real as possible "as if Dolly was about to move". No, I don't think I want to see that. During spring the only place for little lambs and sheep is running wild in the fields. Let Dolly be remembered in a dignified way, not by the skills of the taxidermist who might have managed to make her look as if she is still alive. In ten years time she will look tired and dusy and old and moth eaten. I didn't know Dolly when she was alive, I think I'd like her less dead. The pc is now in it's new home with a very temporary make-shift internet connection. I had written a long posting over the weekend but it's a bit lengthy to put up as a post so if you want to read it please click here for more.... Lack of postings over the last few days have been mainly due to problems with the pc at home. Hope to update soon. I'm not a gambling person - well the occassional lotto ticket but that's just wishful thinking and The Grand National doesn't really count does it? Everyone has a flutter on the National Basically I'm a pinsticker but I think I have to go for Red Striker 40-1, Red Arc 80-1 or Gingembre 11-1. Bean counters! Everywhere. Bean counters ruling work. Bean counters ruling life. I hate bean counters. I don't want to be a bean counter. Some people want me to be a bean counter but I really don't want to be a bean counter. I can't count beans. Does nothing for me. I try to count my own beans but they seem to float away. Definitely don't want to count anyone elses beans or tell them they don't have any left to count. Think I will try to grow some, then paint them with bright red acrylic paint and stick them on a glass bottle and turn it into a lamp, like the ones we used to make with pasta when I was wee. Ha Ha Ha, maybe this was an April 1st: On Sunday I wrote an e-letter to the Sunday Herald to point out that the sand dunes mentioned in an article on Gullane Beach were not really meant to be climbed on because of reclamation work. Today I got a reply......note the lovely tone of synicism re the observation. Thank you for your letter and for pointing out the irresponsibility of recommending that people enjoy the sand dunes at Gullane. I am afraid that yes, I did miss the signs, as did the three other adults in the party and the four children. I think as it had been a childhood haunt we may not have realised that the local conditions had changed. I can only apologise for this and assure you that I will try to look out for such instructions in future. Given your obvious concern for the environment I would be very interested to get your opinion on a new column we are running in the travel section called the eco tourist, which starts on Sunday. I hope you find it useful and interesting. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any further concerns or suggestions. I don't remember saying it was irresponsible to encourage coastal errosion? Being an e-letter I can't check what I said - unless they publish next Sunday. The reply made me think I must have sounded like a real dragon. I don't have a really obvious concern for the environment - just the local sand dunes. I do recycle - correction, papers and bottles are recyled in our house. We are very bad at putting on too many lights thought. I definitely am not an eco tourist but yes, I think I will be looking for the new column - if only to give the opinion invited and generally to let them know of my existance. I figure if I cause such a nuicance they might consider giving me a job. I have many ideas for great articles, nice person in the Herald office. Was going to post some elaborate April Fool's day joke but settled for a virtual food fight instead. Apparently today is also known in Scotland as "Hunt the Gowk" although I haven't heard that one before (a gowk = cuckoo). But I will be looking out for the cuckoos. I only saw two last year and that was in a fairly remote part of the Highlands. |
