Blog of the week - Posted on 5/18/2009

Monday (11th May):

I get on a train from Birmingham to Glasgow, accompanied by a box of Krispy Kreme donuts – a rare luxury that I don't get in Scotland. The journey is long, and I spend most of the time listening to Tool and thinking about my current situation, occasionally interrupted by two women + kids who are screeching like a bunch of wild cats. Luckily, the man in the shop next to our carriage dealt with it admirably, and made the whole carriage laugh by asking them to speak up a bit, as they couldn't quite hear them towards the back of the train. Got back quite late and had a lovely Chinese to end the day.

Tuesday:

I'm right back into the swing of things, and decide to head to the post office to diligently post a letter for Bixie. There's so many people, and I wonder to myself, why, in a crowd of so many, can one feel so utterly alone? I thank the Gods (if they exist) for these book signings, which at least bring back some sense of humanity to me.

On the way, I decide to stop off at the Princes Square Mall off Buchanan Street. I intend to go right to the top, to look down at all the people and the pretty lights, but instead I see the most obscure thing I've seen all year. A seemingly empty shop, with an A4 sheet of paper plastered to the window reading: Open 12pm – 6pm.

It is just after one, so I cautiously step inside, to see a man at a desk in what is otherwise a large blank space with a few colourful objects scattered on the floor. There are some more obscure things seemingly stuck to the wall almost scattily, and as I walk further down through the space it feels more and more like I shouldn't be there at all. I walk into another part of the installation, wondering if I am really supposed to be there, and see a room with mirrors and a couple of white rocks with a light focused on them. I get to the last room, and see a warning about strobe lighting effects and scenes which may be disturbing for young children. With trepidation I enter, only to see a flickering light and a small screen with a rather odd movie playing; a man turning into a werewolf. He is jerking very unnaturally and his claws are all bloody. Delightful. I walk back to the man at the desk, and I want to ask him what it's all about. But I don't and then he leaves, so I leave too.

Later I go with Bixie to see the new Star Trek, and I've got to say I loved it! Loads of action and it has all the elements of making a great film, without it being spoilt by well... anything! Thumbs up from me, 9/10 live long and prospers.

Wednesday:

I go out to Weegie Wednesday, a night for writers/publishers/anyone in the book industry really, and after a weak start I find I rather enjoy myself *gasp*. I find myself talking to 2008's Falkirk Personality of the Year, the famous and talented Mr Alan Bissett! Who seemed very much at home and relaxed in the surroundings provided; a natural habitat perhaps? What a lovely chap though. He was there talking about Discombobulate, a new night of performance where literature, comedy and song collide. I recommend you check it out at: www.discombobulate.me and I've promised to go along!

Sometimes I wish I could feel more at home at these events, but I suppose with experience that might come. I'm still fairly new to the Glasgow writing scene, but it sounds absolutely fascinating. Still, I find myself feeling awkward at not being able to have the ‘horror chat' with Alan because really, I'm ignorant and know very little of what is happening on that front at the moment. I just write, and sometimes draw, because that's just what I do. I wouldn't call myself extremely well educated or wise to the book industry... More just wary and learning as I go along.

Thursday:

After an emergency trip with Bixie to the opticians (his own fault, he's known he needed glasses for years) I am feeling energised, although I'm finding it hard to get back into the swing of writing again, so instead of going in search of my writing mojo I carry on with Bronart. This is the first time I've ever really given my doodles a proper name, and whether they can really be called ‘art' is more a matter of perspective. But nevertheless, drawing makes me feel at ease and calms me in times of terrible stress. It makes me happy. So I have decided, for the first time, to really give Bronart a go in a more serious fashion than just the odd scribble on a piece of notepad.

Is anyone else watching series 2 of Californication and feeling right back at home already with all the characters/plot, even though it's been so long? I absolutely love it.

Friday:

Today I finally find my writing mojo, woo yay! But being afraid of jinxing anything, I'll keep quiet about the rest. I eventually get round to tidying up my case, which has been annoying Bixie greatly ever since I got back (later I point out a shirt and pair of underwear lying on the hall floor, and he hasn't even been away!). Spend the rest of the day writing and thinking hard on a lot of things – which has been my problem in the first place. Too much on my mind.

Weekend:

Go for a free lunch to Bella Italia. Can't say I'm too impressed with the food there, but I'm not complaining too much! Spend much of the weekend addicted to Topspin 3, the tennis game. I have no idea why, as I've never really played tennis but (surprise, surprise) I'd quite like to give it a go now! Might be worth investing in one of those little tennis dresses! Or not. Weekend is more or less relaxed, as we prepare for the week ahead. I find Piers the shark (again) whom I bought at Deep Sea World before my trip down to England. This shark literally does look like Piers Morgan, I will put up a photo and you can agree with me!

I go to pick up some tea towels that Bixie has left under the washing machine (because they need washed, makes sense) to find a bunch of beetles have been using it as a nesting place. I have been on full-on war alert against these beetles since I first moved in, and so take the chance to go on a mass killing spree (it had to be done). Round up 11 dead beetles, which I decide to take a photo of, only to find the next morning that 10 are left (I wanted to leave them there as an example to the rest, evil I know).

It doesn't feel like I've been back in Scotland almost a week now, it actually feels longer, for once. I type an email to a new friend but an old acquaintance, disbelieving the fact it has been literally a week since we said goodbye. I go to bed, feeling subdued to say the least.

Blog of the week - Posted on 5/18/2009

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