Monday 2 June 2014
Emotional Gain
Yesterday I went to lay some flowers on the grave of some dear relatives, their deaths spanning over a number of years back. Now, I'm not planning to get all morose on you, because that's not how the individuals I'm telling you about would want me to feel when I think of them.
Each and everyone of them impacted my life greatly and their influences throughout the times I was able to spend with them, played a huge part in making me the person I am today. And gloomy by nature, I'm not.
It was a muggy day, the thundery clouds were posing a constant threat as they hovered over the nearby hills. However, the time I spent at the graveside was rainless and it didn't start to fall until I was safely back into the car and on my way home. This I was truly thankful for, as rain always wants to gatecrash the celebration of life party that I would rather have for my departed loved ones.
Of course being human, my emotions were naturally stirred and as I wasn't driving I decided I had time to examine the emotions that I had felt in the prior twenty minutes or, so. It was at this point I thought about how important this type of situation is to writers or, budding writers.
Everyone tells you to write about what you know when you start out and although I haven't stuck to that rule of thumb rigidly, I do believe that we can only gain creatively by taking note of our feelings in times of sadness, anger, disappointment and joy. Whether it is how we feel when our pet dog dies, or when we realised our first love wasn't really love, all these experiences can all be used in our work, after all it is something we know.
Friday 30 May 2014
Feliz Dia de Canarias
Amarilla Bay, Costa Del Silencio, Tenerife
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I can only apologise for my rather erratic blogging over the last couple of weeks, but I was visiting Tenerife, one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands. Although the language, climate and culture is different from Scotland, it's a place that many of you will know has captured my heart and soul.
Mount Teide |
A rich historical past |
Example of narrow streets; Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife |
Las Galletas, Tenerife |
Our flags, the white cross on a navy background, symbolises that both countries have chosen, St Andrew as saint protector and today the mutual flag will be flying high, along with the Canary Island's flag, on the official buildings of Tenerife. Because today is, Dia de Canarias, a day the populace rejoice, the people and culture of the Canary Islands and observe the day that the islands received autonomy from Spain.
Whilst I'm back in Scotland, my heart is there. So, Feliz Dia de Canarias, amigos.
Fine Dining in Tenerife |
Wednesday 28 May 2014
Sunday 25 May 2014
Sunday 18 May 2014
Deleting our Legacy
Sample of Robert Burns |
We are all using more and more technology, therefore we put pen to paper less and less. Because of this handwriting and spelling is deteriorating according to a recent study done by BIC, the pen manufacturer.
But, I also believe we are gradually erasing any written legacies that we may leave behind for future generations to learn about and understand the world that we live in now; as our thoughts, beliefs and emotions are regularly communicated clearer when we write by hand.
In recent years handwritten notebooks, pieces of paper containing the manuscripts of books and the lyrics of songs, have been sold for millions at auction. For example, J K Rowling's, The Tales of Beedle Bard, did so in 2007 and only this month, Bob Dylan's, Like a Rolling Stone sold in New York for $2 million.
Online, in the section Romantics and Victorian Manuscripts section of the British Library, we can view the diaries of Queen Victoria, the original works of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Emily Bronte. Everyone of the pieces exhibited give us an insight as to how the Victorians lived and the opportunity to read some of the most celebrated writers manuscripts in their own handwriting.
We can also visit places like Chan Chan in Peru to interpret the hieroglyphics and construct the world of the caveman in our own minds. However I can't help but worry that all of our present and future greats, whether politicians, writers, world experts, or the records relating to destined extinct races, maybe deleted and lost forever, as they will only exist on hard drive, or USB memory stick.
Life and Liberty by Robert Burns in his own handwriting |
Thursday 15 May 2014
Best Foot Forward
Linlithgow Loch |
In the UK it's Walk to School Week, May 19th-23rd, which is part of the National Walking Month campaign. While I'm a little too old to be going to school, I do like to slip my feet into a pair of comfy shoes and put my best foot forward a couple a times a week.
Oban Promenade |
The Promenade, South Queensferry |
From the south bank of the River Forth, Boness |
Callendar Park, Falkirk |
Callander, Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park |
Monday 12 May 2014
Bring Back the Girls
Slavery is illegal worldwide, nevertheless in some countries it remains in the form of child domestic labour. One country where it continues under the disguise of house-help to the elite, is Nigeria.
As the world prays that the girls who were kidnapped from the school in Chibok, Nigeria, are returned home safely; the fact that child labour has not been eradicated in this country will continue to endanger the life of every child there.
The children are used in domestic service, the commercial agriculture industry, prostitution, forced marriages and sometimes willingly given away by their families because of the financial renumeration involved.
The ilo.org continually works hard with countries including Nigeria, by providing educational programmes and their current programme, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor, has aided children throughout the world escape a life of drudgery. Unfortunately, Sub-Saharan Africa, has not responded as well and this abusive activity is a long way from ceasing there.
Therefore, unless the government in Nigeria recognises that child exploitation is wrong and they themselves begin to respect the lives of their children, they will be powerless in controlling acts of lawlessness, as this kidnapping is. #Bringbackourgirls
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