Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.

Margaret Young

Road Dust

Don't graduate

The best directorial touch is 'I don't know'.

Arthur Penn

How and why one should upholster tree stumps.

“We have to be utterly broken before we can realize that it is impossible to better the truth. It is the truth that we deny which so tenderly and forgivingly picks up the fragments and puts them back together again.” Laurens Van der Post

from Muse to Muse Blog

“Does the sun ask itself, “Am I good? Am I worthwhile? Is there enough of me?” No, it burns and it shines. Does the sun ask itself, “What does the moon think of me? How does Mars feel about me today?” No it burns, it shines. Does the sun ask itself, “Am I as big as other suns in other galaxies?” No, it burns, it shines.”

–- Andrea Dworkin, 'From Our Blood'

Ian Rankin is interviewed in Chapman magazine on the creative process and the status of crime novels. He has some very interesting things to say - which I would repeat but no time tonight.

Day a washout went to party last night and managed a hangover on two glasses of wine plus wheezey chest from the brie... no wonder alcohol is not recommended for creative types.

I've been trying to upload pictures but its been very iffy on the upload front.

Weekend catching up with people which is lovely and meeting new babies and unexpectedly running into people. Was down at Portobello beach with a London based friends today. Lots of dogs, vast amounts of white flesh, people being buried in the sand and blue blue skies.

rain?

did I ever think I'd pray for rain?

New Australian in office from Manley Sydney -she's been here a week and recons its as hot as Oz...

Working working no time to post. I come home water plants in containers, sit on my bench and stare at the clouds and doze. I'm knackered after a day on the computer fielding emails around the world and don't want to log on at home.

More pics when I can

How to Draw by Danny Gregory

Nothing Bad Can Ever Happen at Liberty's

I've got an adorable early 20's model assistant, she's bright, well accessorised and after uttering the immortal phrase above I can see will go far in life. She even might attain the nirvana of 'Being Lovely' which is the ambition of a great friend of mine's goddaughter. I'm afraid that 'Being Lovely' is probably out of my reach now but I'm delighted to see that others can obtain it.

Hope to have a flying visit to Liberty's this weekend, in between, going to a phd begetting party, catch up with friends and go and see this play. Written my my mother's friend's mother. Julia Britten took up playwriting in her 70's and now at 92 is Australia's most performed playwright. How about that as a role model. Rock on Julia!

Anchor Close ghosts

More muscians

Stephanie's audience

The French Institute in Edinburgh holds a 'Fete du musique' on midsummer's eve. This year Stephanie Brickman who is in my Yiddish class sang some Yiddish songs.

This roll of film seems to be filled with lots of double images.

sorry about silence - internet concked out on me

started new job - nice boss came and sang a Lisa Simpson song to me on my second day - made me realise what was wrong with last job

head down on excel as a result

gorgeous weather - I keep on smelling the roses which are blooming away

lots and lots of photos taken

Manly, Sydney

"I keep a notebook with me all the time - and I scribble.... You begin to get your felt reaction in a phrase, perhaps. But, you know, I've said before that the angel doesn't sit on your shoulder unless the pencil's in your hand. ... And in truth that [is only] given after years of desiring it, being open to it, and walking toward it."
Mary Oliver

Look at me a website of found photos.

Purrrleasure

I was lying in bed this morning reading and Diego my tabby cat jumped up beside me, rolled over and was in exctacy as I rubbed his tummy. 99% of Diego's life consists of pleasure, napping, climbing trees, sniffing plants, eating, being cuddled (the other 1% is when neighbourhood cats invade his house and he has to tell them to piss off).

Last week I was trying to explain to someone how much pleasure I get from talking photos. Much of the pleasure is from how uncontrolled it is. The camera I use is famed for basically being quite crap. They might come out or not, it might be delicious deep colours or look like a faded Monet, it might superimpose 3 different images onto the same frame or the entire roll might be blank. I carry my camera in my bag or the pocket of my coat in winter and whenever I see something of interest, the light in the sky, a piece of graffiti I can take out the camera and attempt to capture it. Somehow because I have my camera I look more closely at the world and enjoy it more. Getting a roll processed is like a Christmas present. It activates my inner purr. But I've been deprived of my camera for over 3 months. It got broken in NY (on the ferry to Ellis Island) and I was afraid to try and get it fixed because I thought I'd be told the bad news that it couldn't be fixed and I couldn't afford a new one.

There deprived of pleasure for months and months for no good reason at all except fear. We just don't have enough pleasure in life! We deprive ourselves of ice creams, a quick walk in a park instead of hurrying directly to do errands, we don't slow down to smell the roses blooming near the bus stop, we don't sit in our gardens if we have them instead we do more housework, we fail to cook our favourite meals, we get cheap supermarket soap instead of splashing out an outrageous £1.45 for Australian Organics soap, we have lovely rose sented body lotian but do we use it? Like heck! Pleasure is not expensive normally it costs in time not money. So sit in that patch of sun, buy something which will give you pleasure, use what you have but have been saving for best.*

Resources

Madam Gena
Watch a cat

* One of my mother's friend's once said to me 'I don't have anything for best because I don't want my husband's next wife to enjoy it!'.

Her mother had died young and everything she'd kept for best was used by her step mother.

What is your happiness?

from Ali Edwards

sun

warmth

camera working

cats wanting foot rubs

my organic box

Mooskines in Edinburgh

more naked cycling controversy

humm aparently the organisers tried to institute a photography policy which seems to have caused a hoo ha.

London trip

Highlights include

My lomo working! Lots and lots of photos taken.

Walking through Camden and seeing a narrow boat going through the lock with a urban duck swimming beside a floating beer can.

Meeting two Edinburgh friends at Verde in Spitalfields Jeanette Winterson's shop/cafe.

Walking and walking. Because of this I saw so much more than if I'd hit the tube or busses. I walked to Leighton House and on the way passed through Green Park. The seemed to be somekind of crazed Ruritanian ritual going on. Cavalry and braid and prancing horses. When I went up closer they started firing a salute. All the tourists began coverging around the taped off area. It turned out to be a 21 gun salute for Prince Philip. Then there was a marching band. Later my friend S (her 40th birthday being the reason for my visit) was told as a child that God Save the Queen was being played on the radio on her birthday - just for her!

I met my friend B at Leighton House which is magnificent. The 'Turkish' room is amazing and the photos I've seen just don't do it justice. We sat in the garden for about an hour (its free the garden) with a squirrel at our feet.

On the bus back into town I looked over at Hyde Park Corner and thought 'those people don't have very many clothes on'. Then I said to B 'Good grief they're naked!' The entire bus population's heads swiviled to the left as indeed a stream of naked people on bicycles sailed past. It appears to be the World Naked Bike Ride ab annual protest against oil.

In London town...

the wonderful 'funny man' fixed my lomo for £9.40! and the same day. I'll post his contact details when I get back to Edinburgh. I have so missed my camera. I'll even see about uploading again when I get back home. But think I need to find something better than Picassa. Any suggestions?

London is AWFLY hot... walked through Camden today and watched a narrow boat go through a lock with a rather browbeaten duck swimming among the beer cans. Lunch at Verde in Spittalfields (Jeanette Winterson's shop/cafe) lovely and we got a free choc to try. Got the tube to Libertys and bought soap and suncreen and have resisted fabric so far.

Danny Gregory has a great posting on drawing. I've got to get back to it myself. Its a gorgeous day here and I'm finding it hard to motivate myself. Lying on a beach sounds good or sitting in the garden. But tomorrow I go to London for a friend's birthday party and I must clean clothes, wrap presents and try to get my camera fixed. I've been without a working camera for over three months now. I miss it so much. I love seeing a weird cloud formation, bit of graffiti or other oddity and being able to whip put my lomo. I do hope its fixable. I'm off to take it to the 'funny man' in Abbeyhill.

Ways to jump start your writing

over at 52 Projects

The Mirror Project - its been ages since I visited here. Just been trauling through the lomo uploads.

Dear X

Wow! I can see that you are easily distracted from yourself and need reminding of your core - who you really are.

You need to remember what interests you and what you enjoy. Enjoy not want to do for the kudos. The light on the water - the graffiti on the door - be obscure. Stop trying to gain love and stop trying to gain approval. It doesn't work in the end.

Instead be obscure, talk to yourself, talk to cats, enjoy the abundant luxuries of life. A cozy blanket, a ripe strawberry, a piece of velvet, the smell of roses, the bare earth, the sea. Oh the sea, you can never be there too much.

Enjoy your body. Love it - don't get to caught up in changing it - change your mind first and then your spirit and it will follow.

Dream about love and give love. Dare to dream love dare to think you have love to give. You do have lots of love and are loved - the more you send it out the more it will return.

Be open do not close yourself off being afraid of being hurt. The price paid for being safe is too high. You will never feel and if you never feel you will never feel love.

Embrace the eccentricity of life and embrace the multitudes that dwell within and without yourself.

Be gentle with yourself and take more care of you.

You are precious and the more you treat yourself as precious the more people will see you and treat you in the same way.

love

love

love

M

Real Cats Don't Eat Quiche

No really - I ran out of cat food yesterday and left some quiche (bacon & corgette) out for them before going to work. It was still there when I got back. Yes I am a hideous person.

Poetry Chook

Check out Catherine's NZ blog on poetry amongst other things. I've 'known' Catherine for several years now as we are on an email list together.

grubbing about in the dirt

First weeding of the year... my mother came and cut my rather hairy looking hedge. Everything is so late this year because of the weird spring. I must admit I'm not a natural gardener. I love sitting in gardens and the idea of gardening but I don't actually do much unless under the express direction of my mother the uber-gardener. We took out all the tulip bulbs out of my pots, they will be replanted in the autumn after storage, planted some nasturium plants, removed weeds, attacked the dandelions and watered. It felt great to be creating something from scratch. I was delighted to see that despite my appalling neglect my peony seems to have leaves and there are 3 yellow roses on my Woolworths rose (scent as well!). I'm tempted to go out and buy plants this weekend to add to the collection of pots. Its rather the 'triumph of hope over experience' as I've done this before and the dratted things have keeled over on me. I'd instituted a plan of planting lots of blackcurrents and redcurrants previously in order to have the ingredients for Summer Pudding locally grown but none of the plants survived a winter in Leith.

you grow girl is a great resource for gardening

Boys who knit or to Sir with Yarn

Losing my Mind, Coming to my senses

Remain Frugal

!In 1997, I landed the dream job. High-paid advertising copywriter. Big office. Big apartment in New York. Glamorous parties and glamorous backdrop. All feeding the urban sophisticate narrative etc. All good.

The trouble was, even though I was being paid very well, I was still broke by the end of the month. Life in New York is a costly business, and I was determined to experience it fully. I sure as hell wasn’t saving anything.

Like they say, education is expensive. And I ended up paying top dollar.

Because of course, one day the recession hit, the job dried up and I nearly found myself on the street. Had I lived a bit more modestly I would have been able to weather the storm better.

There are a lot of people out there who, like me back in New York, make a lot of money, but spend it just as quickly. The older you get, the less you envy them. Sure, they get to go to the fancy restaurants five days a week, but they pay heavily for the privelege. They can't afford to tell their bosses to go take a hike. They can't afford to not panic, when business slows down for a month or two. The have to keep tapdancing, whether they like it or not.

Part of being creative is learning how to protect your freedom. That includes freedom from avarice."

Wise words from Hugh at GapingVoid

"Each time you participate in crafting you are making a difference," she writes, "whether it's fighting against useless materialism or making items for charity ... it is possible to go beyond banners, email petitions and chants as ways of fighting for a cause you believe in. You could have a knit-in, papier-mache puppets or teach a crafty class for kids."

Great article on Craftism from the Guardian

Film comp

Turner Classic Shorts 2006 - entry form here.

A whole bunch of links on Wendell Berry here if you want to find out more about this poet.

Lost

a pile of papers needed for my work. I've been wandering dimly through the flat back and forth like an anxious cat, upending things trying to find it. At last it's been unearthed...

Off for Artist Date - scrummy lunch at Glass & Thomson and then a wander.

Talent V Practice

interesting discussion in Kottke - personally the practice element I think is way underestimated in 'success'.

I really hate the hierarchy of one form of creativity over another. Usually one is seen is more 'masculine' and therefore worthy and another 'feminine' and therefore unworthy. The most documented examples are from histories of the struggle of women to obtain entry into institutions of art education where women were prevented from studying life drawing and diverted to the applied arts (embroidery and jewelry). Jude Burkhauser's Glasgow Girls covers most of this material. There is a book also on the Edinburgh Girls (artists) but have failed to find it on Amazon - which is a shame as one of them was my great grand mother.

Last week I was urged to call myself a 'documentary maker' and told to 'go and make cakes' if I wasn't prepared to call myself that. And I thought 'Don't diss the cake makers - its harder than you think' and betrays a condescension which I loathe. I found this groovy cake making page... chocolate meringue... checkerboard cake. Wouldn't you like to turn these out?

Also found via 52 projects a weekly quilt project.

Do Buddists watch telly listen to Cream and compose?

Welcoming Ruben

I went around last week to my neighbour's who have just had a baby boy and gave them a baby blanket. It was knitted mostly by my mother but I'd contributed a sprinking of multicoloured squares to the finished piece. The new dad plied me with wine and after a lovely neighbourly chinwag I wobbled off and as I left saw the new mum and Reuben curled up on the sofa with the blanket draped around them. The magic of hand made and unique items part of the 'Economy of Gift' reminded me of the Craft Manifesto.

It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work.
And that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.

Wendell Berry The Real Work

Get Lost

On Friday I wanted to get into the centre of Edinburgh quickly so I walked from my work into Dalkeith and waited at a bus stop where I thought I would have a better and more frequent selection of busses. I hopped onto a 3a which said 'Princes St' on the front, sat down, chatted to the woman beside me and it sailed off in a direction I've never been in. It ambled between houses, swooped up and down beside green fields, schools, housing estates, it passed hamlets, Gorebridge, Newbattle, stables and museums (Lady Victoria Colliery) and zipped passed trees laiden with blossom, and small pink snowstorms of petals in the rising wind and came to a stop in the middle of 'no where' at a terminus. At which point I talked to the bus driver and got off the bus and waited for a 29 which he said would get me to where I wanted to be quicker. I dashed off the bus on South Bridge and made it to my new class with about 30 seconds to spare. At some point during the journey after getting more alarmed at being 'lost' I gave up and instead hoped that this was merely a diversion, a small loop in time which would in its own time take me back to were I was going. On the other hand if you think of it as exactly where I was supposed to be going (on a trip around the countryside I'd never been to before) then I was not lost at all and I was infact going exactly where I should be all along.

I was thinking about this again later after teaching. Being creative is often about being 'lost' without a map because you are creating the map itself. Becoming comfortable with being lost is an art. To stumble about thinking 'I've got no bloody idea where this creative bus is going but I'll stick around for the ride' is where the most interesting and productive creative discoveries are made. Creative journeys made with the creation of premade maps and guides which often follow other people's journey's are with out surprise, (the light on the distant hills as the weather got worse, the black cat sitting on the window sill). Getting lost both metaphorically and literally might just help gettting connected to the creative parts of oneself.

Write like your heart speaks

great post on writing and keeping going by Evelyn Rodrigrez of Crossroads Dispatches.

finally summer?

I sat in Dunbar's close a garden off the High St on Saturday. Enjoying almost balmy weather, tulips and wall flowers and a small black cat chasing insects.

I've decided to make Summer Pudding for a friend's 40th Birthday Celidh.

Danny Gregory on the Artist's Way

"I am not, as a rule, a joiner. Nor am I a believer in much. So please take what I say with a healthy dose of salt. Still, whether you begin this program or another or invent one for yourself, I'm fairly certain that you will find that when you give yourself permission to be creative, your life will change. You will either leave or transform your job. You will open yourself up to new people. You will develop new relationships. You will find that serendipity plays a very active role in your life. You will worry less and appreciate the universe more. You may not lose weight but you'll enjoy food more. Your body may not look better but your taste in clothing will improve. You may not become wealthier but money will matter less. You may not improve your health but each day will matter more."

more from Danny here

Artist's Way Course

I've decided to facilitate a 12 week course based on Julia Cameron's Artist's Way. The introducton/taster session will be on the 12th May at 6pm Buddafield Blackfriars St. Cost £10 - email me on creativevoyage at hotmail if you are interested in attending. AW is a powerful way of creating changes in your life, removing blocks to creativity and generally just having more FUN!

Play Magpie.

If you are in London go to the Embankment NOW and look at the tulips.

Been wandering around Liberty's getting inspiration drinking in colour and design. I tried to have tea as well but arrived too late - next time.

Lying awake in Highgate listening to something that sounded like gunshots. Either a) gang warfare has broken out on Parliament Hill b) they are shooting foxes or c) my hostess muttered darkly about 'ferral neighbours'. Made me appreciate the peace and quiet of Leith.

Going with my friend to see The Squid & The Whale - its a joy to share some thing which is good. Do go and see it (unless your academically minded parents divorced sometime in the 80's in which I would give it a skip).

Muse to Muse continually updated inspiration

Save the Old Town

The Edinburgh Old Town is part of a designated World Heritage Site. Its a curious urban landscape created by building on the tail of a volcano and bound by city walls. Thus creating some of the first 'skyscrapers' as to squeeze in as many people as possible early builders had to build upwards. Some times with disasterous results. Building engineering being ruidmentary one 16 story block topppled over. The results is an urban patch with tiny narrow vennels and closes which have access to back courts and buildings crammed together. In a remarkable society before the building of the New Town in the lat 18th Centuary every class was crammed into the same 'Land' (building) and each 'house' (flat/apartment) would run from the bottom mercantile to nobility in the middle (far enough from the stench of the street but not too far to climb) to the attic rooms where people would lie probably on straw or on rags. Things have improved somewhat in the intervening 200 years, indoors sanitation, a sewer system, electricity but this higgildy piddgily way of living is amongst other things thought of a factor in the creation of the Edinburgh Enlightenment. Now a section of the High street is being threatened with redevelopment into a 200 bedroom hotel and conference centre. We are to get 'piazzas' a completely alien concept to the geography and history of the area (not to mention rather windy I would have thought). This isn't a bloody Italian city... its a cold miserable glakit place with narrow passageways to hide in! A friend of mine lives in the Canongate and is tearing her hair out with her encounters with the planning authories, the local 'authority', at the moment local democracy seems to be completely by passed. If you go to the website there are 3 petitions which if you could sign would make the people fighting this feel a lot less alone.

suffering from bloggy guilt

Actually I've been doing quite a lot. A little action has happened to get a few essential projects moving forward. Meetings for work. A visit to see American Dreamz at cinema. Great fun film though me and my two mates seemed to be the only ones who laughed. Shopping to cook for friends - first time since September! The first rhubarb of the season. River Cottage website has a great seasonal recipies section if your culinary side is getting jaded. Beautiful day here sat outside, journalled and watched the cat do a tree climbing demo. Off to swim.

I've just had a very dull day working my way through errands eg pay bills, buy cat food, referee kitten sibling fight over a pice of ham... more interuptions from people coming to the door to try and make me change my electricity supplier. But dull days are there to make the other kind shine out. So instead I feel good about doing dull things and even better knowing I'm going out for dinner.

Visual Chronicles I've linked before - they're sassy.

Its good to leave the house...

The 'Artistic Garret' is a bad idea that just will not die. Miserable and pained creative people are supposed to lurk in them and come up with the goods. Well funnily enough I've found more inspiration out there in the world. Again last night this lesson was repeated to me. I went to dinner and may have found an idea for a documentary. I had a lovely dinner as well.

I think I've mentioned Crossroads Dispatches before - I'm doing it again as there are always interesting posts on work/money/spirituality/life purpose.

I'm half way through a super Easter Egg which I got half price - the rewards of doing last minute egg shopping.

I had a lovely evening - aided I must add by 3 glasses of fizzy wine. I may be 3 fizzy wine glasses under par generally.

I've realised that I'm a tummy tickling cat slave.

What a glorious day!

Not only is it finally warm enough for tough Scotch lasses to abandon winter tights - I've got one afternoon to hunt for my Easter Egg. Yum!

Screenwriter Course Edinburgh 6th May

Tutor Adrian Mead director/writer - people I know who have been taught by Adrian say he's an excellent tutor - more info here.

unshouldning

Its snuck up on my rather quickly. I got rid of one big 'should' my last job and suddenly I noticed how I'd replaced it with a whole lot of other 'shoulds'. I should get up at x time - I should do a, b, c, d, e, f, g... and before I know it I've failed to do all these things and I feel like a hampster with tiny legs running on a wheel and failing to get anywhere. I'm now trying to become more conscious of my 'shoulds'.

La Beany c'est arrive!

Sitting outside on my bench when the postie came. After opening the letter from the council informing me my neighbours were going to have a velux rooflight put in I spied the small padded envelope - tore it open and settled down to read The Beany. I love it - especially the 75 ways to Draw More list.

4 things blog tag from Michael Nobbs

Four Jobs I’ve Had


1. waitress
2. publishing assistant
3. Artist model
4. Teacher

Four films I can watch over and over again

1. The Garden by Derek Jarman
2. I know where I'm going - Powell & Pressburger
3. Whisky Galore - Alexander MacKendrick
4. On the Mountain - Margaret Tait
Four places I've lived

1. Pietermaritzburg, SA
2. Irene, Gauteng, SA
3. St Andrews Fife Scotland
4. Independent Republic of Leith , Scotland

Four TV programmes I love

1. Ivor the Engine
2. Nip/Tuck
3. Grand Designs aka house porn
4. Food progs aka food porn

Four places I've been on holiday

1. Isle of Mull, Scotland
2. Annecy France
3. Aran Islands/Galway Ireland
4. NY

Four of my Favourite Dishes

1. Summer Pudding
2. Roast Chicken
3. Roast lamb
4. coffee


Four Websites I Visit Daily

1. Hotmail
2. Gawker & Defamer (just checking up on husband to be)
3. Keri Smith
4. 52 Projects

Four Places I’d Rather Be Right Now

1. On the beach
2. In Bed
3. Walking in NY (or any other unknown to me city)
4. In a cinema

Four Bloggers I’m Tagging

1. Hendrix Cat
2. Catherine
3. Mrs Pom
4. Here Be

Four Books I Recommend

1. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
2. Pablo Neruda - POirot
3. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
4. Women of the Left Bank by Shari Beinstock

And I’m also adding…

Four Artists that have inspired me

1. Derek Jarman
2. Margaret Tait
3. Ruby Grierson4. Kaytee Horsman

Its no use with all this weird weather I might knit a sweater for my poor tree as well.

This is ridiculous... April and this afternoon the skies darkened hail rained down, the cats ran in and stood on the kitchen table in bewilderment.

playing 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon again

My tiger and spotted striped cat Diego talks to my neighbour Murdo (as Mrs Murdo is now pregnant he is banished outside to smoke) and he used to be in a band Cateran, who tourned the uk with this band.

things that make me happy

My best friend's film being called the 'best black british film' by Black filmmaker magazine.

Spring!

Finally stopping working for the 'fat controller' at the 10th largest employer in the world.

My friend K's daughter R telling me how she and her friends deliberately visit the physics tea room at her uni to see all the nerdy physicists try and discretely whip off their glasses when they go in.

Meeting an acquainance of a friend who is quite elderly and has dedicated her life to putting up plaques and memorials to things she feels ought to be remembered. 'I've got a brass plaque to Fletcher of Saltoun under the dining room table and I can't move it becuase its too heavy.' Somehow the picture of this little old lady trotting to the foundary to commission another plaque cheers me. The passions of people in play is cheering.

A reminder of the importance of being lovely.

How to be a miserable artist/person

Little makes much sense at the moment. That's the way it's supposed to be. None of us came to planet earth in order to reach a complete, satisfactory understanding of any subject or situation. We may all aspire to such an experience - and we may occasionally kid ourselves that we have attained it. Deep down inside, though, we are all confused about something! The eclipse won't help you reach a state of total clarity today, but it will at least shed some light on one important matter.

Jonathan Cainer on life for Virgos

RIP Ian Hamilton Finlay

He died yesterday. I've written before about visiting Little Sparta the living artwork he created at Stonypath outside Edinburgh.

In the 1990's I worked at Chapman - argueably Scotland's leading literary magazine. While I was there we produced a double issue on IHF. This one of the first times that he got recognition from within Scotland. I can remember being deluged by contributions from around the world and of course how we got caught in the cross fire between one of his famous ongoing battles with an adversary from France faxing us libel suit on the day of our Christmas lunch! However alongside the Women's Issue - the double Ian Hamilton Finlay issue is the one I'm most proud to have worked on.

red lines around London?

odd appearances

Great interview with Jeffrey Yamaguchi

about 54 Projects book

We all should have taken it as a warning

when Humphry got booted out of No 10 that the Blairs were a bad lot... the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet has died.

create your own holidays

scolidays

People being creative with their cats

.... stuff on your cat

Muse to Muse

has a great quote about friendship. I hope the link works.

I just spoke to a friend who I've not been able to speak to for a few weeks. A hurried conversation before her battery ran out as she went home late at night on London's underground. It was hurried but I had to speak to her and hear her voice and joke and connect and allude to 'the momobrow' an email or even a bit of mail is not the same as a proper conversation.

Did you know

that there was a British Big Cats Society... only in this country. And no these aren't cats destined to go on Celeb feline fit club... most disappointed to read that sightings in Scotland have declined. What are they doing? Joining book groups? Any self respecting Big Cat should be causing alarm on a wide scale.

The Saint of Bleeker Street

Its a huge achievement - my friend's amateur opera group Edinburgh Grand Opera is celebrating 50 years of existence this year. To mark the occasion they are putting on Carol Menotti's 'The Saint of Bleeker Street' at the Festival Theatre - it opens this week. Its great to see that their impressive achievement is being noted.

Almond Blossom

I searched on this after an email exchange with a friend about the south of France and found this blog.... Meanwhile, Here in France.

extraordinary photos

Al Magus via moleskine

fund your own revolution

An unsigned band has got its fans to invest their savings in their first album. A film company did something similar a few months ago preselling 10,000 DVD's to fans in order to fund their next feature film - but can't remember who they are. I really like examples of people thinking their way out of generally accepted ways of doing things.

Good Grief

unknown 6th Rolling Stone was from Fife and used as model for Ian Rankin's 'Rebus'. Anyone want to write a play about him?

Snow Snow Snow

Woke up to find it snowing this morning. Its still coming down. I had to rush out and get some cat food this morning as we had run out. Now I've got a cat sleeping on bed and snoring another with back turned towards me. Being on the computer is not popular with them.

I'm trying to work up the energy to do some serious housework which is over due. In the meanwhile read this account of visiting NY.

Hey there

Jonathan Ross on the radio, cats curled up in the intray. Piles of books, papers, clothes everywhere. Condensation on the window. Dampish Saturday. Waiting for a telephone consult with my herbalist. At one I'm going to pick up my photos from NY - I'm so excited! Called a friend this morning she's off on maternity leave and spent the whole week in bed with a cold, another friend was rushed to hospital for x-ray. Its been a long long winter and almost everyone I know has been ill. I get a cold, get over it and get another. I'm now on horsepills from the doctor, pray they work soon.

I had a job interview yesterday - which I got - now I have a one day a week job starting in April. The plan is to move towards a multiple job situation in the autumn.

Time for breakfast.

Freighter travel - was pleased to come across this article last night as I was discussing this with a friend. Another good alternative to flights site is Seat 61. I'd been thinking of offsetting my flight to NY and had found a company that does it. But does kind of smack of 'buying your way out of the problem'.

The Cloud Appreciation Society - I was most puzzled to get a membership yesterday and badge! Then I got an email from a friend saying she'd given me membership. It looks great, fun and eccentric. I love looking at skies.

Happy International Women's Day!

I've been off line with a cold/cough. I'm back at work but obviously still tired managed to spill a cup of water over my keyboard this morning. Lots of sopping tissues chucked in the bin.

How to process film using kitchen staples.

Hopefully will have my NY photos processed this weekend.

"There are no wrong notes on the piano, just better choices."
Thelonius Monk

"In Western culture, artists aren't encouraged to be integral to the social, environmental, or spiritual life of the community. They do not train to engage with real-life problems. Instead they learn to be competitive with their products in the marketplace. All our institutions are defined by this market ideology-none have escaped. "Professional recognition" in the form of brisk sales and positive reviews still remains the primary pattern of thought that structures the internal rhythms of art-making. For a long time now, I have been questioning these premises; anyone who has ever read anything I have written will know that my books are meant as a challenge to our reigning paradigms of economic control and domination. They seek to expose the coercive propaganda of capitalism as a form of spiritual and ecological suicide-and they look at the Big Picture, always with a view to recovering from the estrangements of Western civilization. Instead of art-as-commodity, deprived of any useful social role, I believe that art can help us to participate in what geologian Thomas Berry deems the "great work" of our time: moving from a devastating presence on the planet to a more benign presence".

Suzi Gablik

Linda Smith RIP Comic

"I do sympathise with Bush and Blair trying to find WMDs. I'm like that with my scissors. I put them down, then I search all over the house, and I never find them. Of course, I do know that my scissors exist."

10 different things to give up for Lent. I promise to make more effor with the plastic bag thing.

Still jetlagged and tired despite sleeping most of yesterday. Will bore about holiday later. What a threat. Its hailing here in Scotland.