Tattie Salad

August 30th: Tattie Salad Anybody?

Bizarre but strangely watchable? I don't much care for tattie salad however. Is it potatoes or po-tat-ohs?

Getting My Hackles Up

August 28th:
Getting my Hackles Up

The wife and I watched Gregory Burke's play "Black Watch" on the TV last night and it was literally, bloody brilliant. If you ever get a chance to see it, go.

An excellent cast portray the story of Scots Soldiers and life for them linked to a "Golden Thread" of past, present and future. It's nae new having been on the go for a bit but it's vital and it was great to see it make National TV.

Visually, it's theatre-in-the-round with the audience either side of the hall making use of very clever and minimal scenery.

I loved the sense of camaraderie that shone through, the futility, the history (usually of the Scots being duped and shat upon by our so called betters), the dialog, and the obvious attempt to portray and remain on the ball as regards reality.

The climax was emotional making you hold your breath and you could sense what was going to happen yet it had no distinct ending as such. Like the three soldiers blown up, you were left hanging in suspension. Thought provoking, I certainly couldn't sleep for a while thinking over it all. So much so, I went and checked out the black watch website.

On it they have obituaries for two recent soldiers. They were only twenty. What a waste. Their names were Jamie Kerr and Scott Kennedy. I wonder if Blair or Bush know their names? I'm glad I do. It reaffirms my belief that we really should pull our troops out of Iraq as soon as possible. They should never have been there in the first place. I feel heart sorry for their families and those left behind fucked up by it all.

It really gets my hackles up.

Valerie Rosner

August 24th: Valerie Rosner

I don't care what you say to me
It really doesn't mean a thing
I've seen your face on my TV
And heard the different songs you sing

I'm sick and tired of all your lies
The false promises they bring
What will it take to get through to you
The souls of how many mortal men?

Here's to you, Valerie Rosner,
I remember you, Valerie Rosner.

While Dick Cheney cries, fingering Georgie's Pie,
Blair n' Brown roll in their pens,
And we watch the world spin by whilst others die
How can their means justify the end?

Here's to you, Valerie Rosner,
I remember you, Valerie Rosner.

Zoot Sounds around, words written down,
Smiths memories will never fade,
Long telephone calls, hauling down those walls
You were never ever afraid.

Here's to you, Valerie Rosner,
I remember you, Valerie Rosner,

You put us all to shame.

Place Memory Here

August 22nd:
Place Memory Here

Today was my wee bairns second day at secondary school. The thing is she isn't wee anymore. I still remember very well her first day at primary and the first day at nursery prior to that.


Time as I have often said is my enemy. Never enough or too much of her.

My wife and I exchanged a look between us both as our daughter was making herself ready for the school bus in front of the mirror. It needed no explanation. It was a look of shared pride in saying "we made her, isn't she just magic".

And she is. That's why I invest in the memory and place it there.

I read a blog by somebody I know, usually admire and have worked with previously and in it he said that he never looks back, only forward. Fair enough but it strikes me as a bit clichéd. Another pal has also previously said "you've gotta go back to go forwards."

Polemics? Clichés? Who cares. As long as it's real, it's cool and I believe him. Work, Art, Love & Life. Been there, seen it, got the t-shirt and I muddle through it working my weird. That is REAL.

Blogs are ace. One I came across the other day was by a chap called Colin and it is very good. It's called and before the first kiss. He doesn't like my sort though, he thinks I'm a wanker cause I've got a private number plate on my car. That's not very tolerant is it and a real generalisation. It's also funny. Anyway, I don't need to defend myself to anybody, Colin says he's in education and it seems alongside him is another old associate of mine who's just started a postgrad at his place of learning. You might know him, he's got previous. Here's an example.

Summers Gone

August 20th: Summers Gone

So that's another years hols bit the dust. A wee break in October sounds good though. It's funny how I seem to always look forward to my next one all the time. New York is a busy busy place that's probably why.

So full of contradictions it's clean, dirty, exciting, alienating, disgusting, beautiful and it will certainly leave an imprint in my minds eye for a while to come.

The hotel room was on the 41st floor, right off times square and when I looked out the window I had a panoramic view of everything.

Will publish some pics soon I think, probably I should open a flicker account or something.

Highlights were BB King's blues bar and seeing the Harlem Gospel Choir do their thing (praise the lord, oh yeah). These folks were members of the choir from U2's rattle and hum period and they were very good. Harlem was great, I loved seeing the Apollo where James Brown lay in state at the scene of where he did his thing. The Dakota was interesting, basically because it's nothing of note really and it's such a shame that a guy as talented as Lennon ended his days there due to some mad bastard. But I was there to see it for myself and pay respect so that's what matters. Also got to watch Maxi Priest sound check which was really good too and saw some street kids doing their hip hop which was magic for an old fart like me to see.

Watched a couple of Broadway shows. Loved Chicago, really well done, so it was. And of course we did all the touristy things. Got a couple of bargain ipods as well so it was all good. The Statue of Liberty was strangely disappointing however. I wonder if it's cause I question just who's liberty does it represent?

Couldn't let this post pass without mention to the King as well. 30 years since he died and I remember hearing it on the news as clear as if it were yesterday (God I sound like my parents). I have a number plate on my car which has 77 for various reasons. The year we got the victory and the crossbar fae Wembley, the year Elvis died, the number of my bairns and wifes birthday and the hoose. It'll never win me the lottery but it's important to me for all those reasons none the less.

I've been to his house in Memphis you know, Elvis that is. Paid homage to the greats there once, Presley, Cash, Sun Studios et all. Enjoyed seeing the best Elvis impersonator ever aka Joe Kent (pictured) at the rock n' roll cafe straight across the road from the pelvis's hoose. He was magic and I've got the pictures and videos tae prove it. You know the seven degrees of separation thing…there might be some truth in it you know. Seems old pal McGee's chums with his daughter now. I wonder if she's got any old Jasmine Minks records?