Wednesday 30 March 2011

A list of stories I have not yet written because I am a lazy cow...

AKA Maybe if I write them down for all to see, I'll get a move on and produce some kind of awesomeness.

AKA The Fear.

Things I would like to write about:

- Meeting a person once and letting them change your life.
- Another story based on the "Porcelain" idea that isn't shit.
- First person stories with unpleasant main characters.
- Riding the bus with my dad when I was small.
- My relationships with my brothers.
- Dislocation - in all it's forms.
- The meeting place between the land and the sea.
- A story where David Bowie would play/be the main character.
- A story called "Hush"
- Hunger
- A story inspired by "The Trapeze Swinger"

Things I would like to learn:
- The more sophisticated and technical aspects of language. I know a lot but there is always more. Especially with regards to poetry.
- more about apocolypse theories and cult leaders.
- Basic Gaelic and Scots.
- How to use a video camera.
- How to develop my own pictures.
- How to use a sewing machine/knit etc.
- How to play the guitar to at least Patti Smith's standards ;)

Okay, that's a lot more than I thought. I better get going then...

Oh hello, Rose McGowan...

...when you were bonny and didn't feel the need for frequent chemical peels!




Can I have your wig; glasses and clear, plastic, super-cute raincoat? Thanks again!

<3 Gregg Araki *swoony swoon*

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Dear Blog, I'm sorry it's been so long...

...since my last post I have returned from Norway and given Laura and the cats big hugs. Then I went back to work and gave the coffee machine and Carrie-Anne big hugs. Then I did a lot of sleeping.

Then we went to Edinburgh for the weekend and saw Iron and Wine. We had an awesome time away even if Sam Beam was convinced that 20 minute jazz instrumentals were necessary in EVERY song.

I haven't written anything since my return but have resolved to do a lot more reading and research. Laura and I read Patti Smith's "Just Kids" and cried at it (me on the inside only - natch!) and then realised that if Patti was 27 before she started properly writing songs then there is hope for us yet! Sometimes I feel so old and that I'm not achieving things at the proper pace. Then I remember that I felt the same way at 19 and again at 20 and pretty much every year since I've been alive so maybe if I stop looking back at all I haven't done yet I can finally start doing things.

I've started tutoring some Higher English kids so I think that will take up more time than I anticipated until the exam in May. I think it will be good to help though. It will give me more of an idea of what I might be like as a teacher and also will help me tighten up my own grammar etc. which is always in danger of slipping :)

In other news, Laura was the featured artist in February's "The List" magazine and on the Central station website. Then she was chosen to go on a sculpture residency in Huntly for two weeks over Easter. I know that it's a great opportunity but selfish Steph is sad because she will miss Laura :(

It feels nice to know that Laura's work is being recognised and I can see her developing as an artist and the themes in which she is concentrating on are really interesting right now.

I think I need to get my arse in gear. Watch this space...