Saturday, March 31, 2007
It's not quite Wembeley, but still...
In case any of you were wondering, we won the semi final 2-0 against the league leaders (We're 4th bottom)! First clean sheet in a while too...April 21st is the final. Hurrah!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Self Tanning Lotion
So Sunday began the trip to Skye. The original departure time of 12pm was well missed by Christian's lameness and arrival 3 hours late (which incidentally left me to look after a girl I'd never met before, who we were giving a lift to, for 3 hours in our flat), meaning we finally arrived at the car park in the dark around 8. The one advantage of this was that we got to drive through the mountains on the approach to Kyle of Lochalsh at sunset, but then I cocked up all bar one of the pictures at Eilean Donan castle :(.
However, there was a lot of moonlight, so the 5km walk to our little bothy which we would call home for the next 3 nights, wasn't too bad and head torches weren't required. For those of you who don't know what a bothy is - it's basically a little hut with no heating (bar an open fire), water or power, situated somewhere in the mountains that hikers can use.
Ours was situated in the most gorgeous bay, right next the sea and right at the foot of some not insignificiantly sized mountains (The little white hut in the corner of the picture. And fortunately for us, we got the best weather of the year so far. Two full days of beautiful sunshine and just enough breeze to stop you getting too hot on the climbs.And so, that is how we spent our days - hiking. The first day we climbed ever single one of the 928 metres up Bla Bheinn, which allegedly has the best summit view of all the mountians in Skye - looking out over the Black Cuillins. And the second day, we took an 8 or 9 mile walk around the sea, a big loch over some hills and far away.
Much fun was had by all, we saw some cool wildlife - deer, a golden eagle (pretty darn rare) and some rabbits, some of us went skinny dipping in the river, most of us went in the sea (it was so hot and flipping gorgeous, we forgot about how cold the actual water was), and all of us had the liberating experience of doing a number 2 in the open air (under moonlight was my favourite). It was also encouraging to see my ankles hold up and realise that I am actually fit enough for the 5 peak challenge (more about that soon).
More pictures can be found here
And then I came home to 42 new emails, almost all of which were important and work related. Joys.
Tomorrow is another exiciting day though. My football team have an important cup semi final clash (against a team we beat 3-1 last Saturday) and I'm heading off to Spring Harvest. This is a christian conference that was a large part of my growing up during my formative years and for a time was the only place I could seem to find girls who liked me. I think I went 19 years on the trot, but this is the first time I've been back for 3 or 4. It will also be interesting going with a different perspective - I'm not a teenager, I'm not a student, I'm a 'full-time Christian worker' (whatever that really means), and it'll be fun to approach it from a different side.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
I bore myself...
This is my 100th post. Who could know I could write such rubbish, so inconsistently yet, consistently enough to make it to 100. I certainly didn't. Anyway, in honour of the occasion, here's 100 things you might not know about me (and probably didn't want to either).
1. Alasdair is the Scottish Gaelic version of Alexander. Very few people spell it right.
2. The name means defender of men. Grr.
3. I've had many nicknames in my life, most of which aren't an indication of my character:
4. Al
5. Ally
6. I really hate being called ally
7. Bongo
8. Ster
9. Stud
10. Studling
11. Sleazy Al (This REALLY wasn't a reflection on my character)
12. Northern Al
13. Lundip
14. Alan Dop
15. Dop
16. Dopface
17. I'd be happy if people just called me Alasdair.
18. My 18th birthday was spent mostly on a train.
19. My 19th birthday was marred by the Big Brother final
20. My 20th Birthday was spent in a field somewhere in the Scottish highlands
21. My 21st Birthday was spent on my own in LA after a girl (who I was in no way romantically attached to) ditched me.
22. My 22nd birthday was spent recovering from infected jellyfish stings in a field.
23. I still have the scars
24. I say that because I've been told chicks dig scars.
25. I also have a scar from when my sister bit me when I was a kid.
26. So far, the chicks haven't particularly digged the scars.
26. I still love Bon Jovi as much as I did when I was 13
27. But don't like their newer stuff so much.
28. I'm pretentious enough to be proud of my eclectic taste in music.
29. But don't know enough about it to be a music snob
30. Yet I'm still proud enough not to initially like something (regardless of how good it is), simply because it's popular.
31. I used to play the saxophone more than I did pretty much anything else.
32. I haven't played it for over 18 months
33. This makes me sad.
34. Even though I know spend a lot more time playing sports than I do playing music, I still think about myself as a musician.
35. I have spent more than 3 days of my life underwater.
36. Only some of this time was spent being cold.
37. I hate cats
38. I love dogs
39. Small rodents I'm ambivalent towards.
40. I REALLY love the sea.
41. Contrary to popular opinion, I'm not in love with fish - I merely love the who oceanic ecosystem. Fish included.
42. Shipwrecks are my favourite thing to dive on.
43. Making up this list is more boring than I expected.
44. Maybe I'm not as interesting as I expected.
45. I used to be bullied at school and succeeded in getting the bully to miss sports day (Go letters from mum!)
46. I used to a lot shorter and chubbier and played hooker in rugby at school
47. My Chemistry teacher in 6th form had a chart showing how many times people int he class had made me blush.
48. So they shouted vagina and penis a lot. I stopped blushing soon after.
49. I dance a mean waltz
50. I dont dance anything else very well.
51. Apart from ceilidh dances. Which I'm pretty good at.
52. Funk music will get me dancing regardless of my ability, every time.
53. I once spent a lot of money on an oversizes cushion
54. But it gave me a good story
55. In another life, I would like to have been a professional photographer.
56. Or a professional footballer.
57. Or be born in Australia and be a professional Aussie Rules player.
58. But I'm very happy with the life God has given me.
59. I cry at inappropriate times.
60. Such as when I saw Shamu at Sea World.
61. By cry, really I mean 'well up'.
62. I think 'The Notebook' sucks.
63. I'm very opinionated.
64. I really like baked beans.
65. I don't really like chips.
66. I really like fancy sausages.
67. I hate courgettes.
68. I like the idea of having a mysterious persona
69. I'm a commitmentphobe.
70. I would love to live in Edinburgh for the rest of my life.
71. That's not gonna happen though.
72. Newcastle's a good second best.
73. And if I end up on a tropical island somewhere, I cordially invite you to come visit.
74. The only Russian phrase I know is how to order 5 beers.
75. I have only been to one foam party in my life.
76. I'd rather not go to another.
77. I'm allergic to something.
78. The something is possibly mussels.
79. Last May, I nearly died after eating a plate of them.
80. Well, I didn't really die, but I got very ill and nearly passed out.
81. I'm eating a lot more icecream recently.
82. Which leads me to fear I'm becoming too feminine.
83. Which is why I'm not cutting my hair or shaving my beard at the moment.
84. I actually have a baby face, which is the real reason why I have long hair and a beard.
85. Having long hair is much better than it being short.
86. I wish 86=100
87. I'm much more proud of my Scottish ancestry than I am of my English
88. I pick scabs and eat them.
89. I also pick my nose and eat it.
90. It is maybe these that the chicks dont dig, rather than the scars.
91. I have a complete inability to be tidy, as much as I wish I could.
92. My favourite vitamin is vitamin D
93. My favourite food is bread sauce.
94. If I could eat cookie dough all day without it making me sick or fat, I would.
95. My BMI is an apparently perfect 22.5
96. I wish I wasn't so cynical.
97. I have Oriental blood in me.
98. But no-one really knows much about it.
99. If you have read this far, I salute you.
100. .................
I've left 100 blank so you can add something which you think I've missed that you think should be known. A little challenge for all of you who read, but never comment...
1. Alasdair is the Scottish Gaelic version of Alexander. Very few people spell it right.
2. The name means defender of men. Grr.
3. I've had many nicknames in my life, most of which aren't an indication of my character:
4. Al
5. Ally
6. I really hate being called ally
7. Bongo
8. Ster
9. Stud
10. Studling
11. Sleazy Al (This REALLY wasn't a reflection on my character)
12. Northern Al
13. Lundip
14. Alan Dop
15. Dop
16. Dopface
17. I'd be happy if people just called me Alasdair.
18. My 18th birthday was spent mostly on a train.
19. My 19th birthday was marred by the Big Brother final
20. My 20th Birthday was spent in a field somewhere in the Scottish highlands
21. My 21st Birthday was spent on my own in LA after a girl (who I was in no way romantically attached to) ditched me.
22. My 22nd birthday was spent recovering from infected jellyfish stings in a field.
23. I still have the scars
24. I say that because I've been told chicks dig scars.
25. I also have a scar from when my sister bit me when I was a kid.
26. So far, the chicks haven't particularly digged the scars.
26. I still love Bon Jovi as much as I did when I was 13
27. But don't like their newer stuff so much.
28. I'm pretentious enough to be proud of my eclectic taste in music.
29. But don't know enough about it to be a music snob
30. Yet I'm still proud enough not to initially like something (regardless of how good it is), simply because it's popular.
31. I used to play the saxophone more than I did pretty much anything else.
32. I haven't played it for over 18 months
33. This makes me sad.
34. Even though I know spend a lot more time playing sports than I do playing music, I still think about myself as a musician.
35. I have spent more than 3 days of my life underwater.
36. Only some of this time was spent being cold.
37. I hate cats
38. I love dogs
39. Small rodents I'm ambivalent towards.
40. I REALLY love the sea.
41. Contrary to popular opinion, I'm not in love with fish - I merely love the who oceanic ecosystem. Fish included.
42. Shipwrecks are my favourite thing to dive on.
43. Making up this list is more boring than I expected.
44. Maybe I'm not as interesting as I expected.
45. I used to be bullied at school and succeeded in getting the bully to miss sports day (Go letters from mum!)
46. I used to a lot shorter and chubbier and played hooker in rugby at school
47. My Chemistry teacher in 6th form had a chart showing how many times people int he class had made me blush.
48. So they shouted vagina and penis a lot. I stopped blushing soon after.
49. I dance a mean waltz
50. I dont dance anything else very well.
51. Apart from ceilidh dances. Which I'm pretty good at.
52. Funk music will get me dancing regardless of my ability, every time.
53. I once spent a lot of money on an oversizes cushion
54. But it gave me a good story
55. In another life, I would like to have been a professional photographer.
56. Or a professional footballer.
57. Or be born in Australia and be a professional Aussie Rules player.
58. But I'm very happy with the life God has given me.
59. I cry at inappropriate times.
60. Such as when I saw Shamu at Sea World.
61. By cry, really I mean 'well up'.
62. I think 'The Notebook' sucks.
63. I'm very opinionated.
64. I really like baked beans.
65. I don't really like chips.
66. I really like fancy sausages.
67. I hate courgettes.
68. I like the idea of having a mysterious persona
69. I'm a commitmentphobe.
70. I would love to live in Edinburgh for the rest of my life.
71. That's not gonna happen though.
72. Newcastle's a good second best.
73. And if I end up on a tropical island somewhere, I cordially invite you to come visit.
74. The only Russian phrase I know is how to order 5 beers.
75. I have only been to one foam party in my life.
76. I'd rather not go to another.
77. I'm allergic to something.
78. The something is possibly mussels.
79. Last May, I nearly died after eating a plate of them.
80. Well, I didn't really die, but I got very ill and nearly passed out.
81. I'm eating a lot more icecream recently.
82. Which leads me to fear I'm becoming too feminine.
83. Which is why I'm not cutting my hair or shaving my beard at the moment.
84. I actually have a baby face, which is the real reason why I have long hair and a beard.
85. Having long hair is much better than it being short.
86. I wish 86=100
87. I'm much more proud of my Scottish ancestry than I am of my English
88. I pick scabs and eat them.
89. I also pick my nose and eat it.
90. It is maybe these that the chicks dont dig, rather than the scars.
91. I have a complete inability to be tidy, as much as I wish I could.
92. My favourite vitamin is vitamin D
93. My favourite food is bread sauce.
94. If I could eat cookie dough all day without it making me sick or fat, I would.
95. My BMI is an apparently perfect 22.5
96. I wish I wasn't so cynical.
97. I have Oriental blood in me.
98. But no-one really knows much about it.
99. If you have read this far, I salute you.
100. .................
I've left 100 blank so you can add something which you think I've missed that you think should be known. A little challenge for all of you who read, but never comment...
Thursday, March 22, 2007
99 Red Love Balloons
The title refers to Gordon Brown's budget and the associated labour tainted balloons from westminster. If you don't understand, don't worry.
Anyway, forget 300, 100 is on it's way!
Ambiguity is my new friend
Anyway, forget 300, 100 is on it's way!
Ambiguity is my new friend
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Curry with moderately famous people
Tuesday saw the return of the public debate to Edinburgh University, when 2 Oxford professors, Alistair Mcgrath (doctorates in biophysics and theology) and Peter Atkins (Chemist) debated "Darwin and Humanity: Should we rid the mind of God?". Student apathy has been made much of this year, with the Student Union AGM struggling to get 100 people at it and was nowhere near getting close to numbers needed to ratify the votes. So it was encouraging to see the largest lecture theatre on campus (allegedly seats 400-500) full to the rafters. In fact, a good 150 or so were turned away as well, which was a huge shame, but i good indicator of the fact that people are actually thinking about these things.
Actually, I was one of those turned away. But after a few sneaky dashes through fire-exits and doors with big no-entry signs on it, I ended up sitting in the dark behind the stage, unable to see a thing, but able to hear everything just fine. As it turned out, the debate itself was a little disappointing. The title didn't really lend itself to clashes and most of what the speakers said was rhetoric, keeping things within their camp. Dr Atkins said we should rid the mind of God because it was a delusion for the weak and led to wars etc., Dr McGrath argued that God provided a framework for life. Peter Atkins also said a few interesting things such as how he didn't be live there were ANY 'why' questions that mattered, only 'how'. And also how he always thought the least complex explanation was right. for example, God creating the universe is more complex than nothing creating it in his eyes and therefore not viable.
Things only really got interesting in the question time, when someone asked why the least complex answer should necessarily be right, which he didn't really have an answer for. It also threatened to get interesting when the speakers flirted with talking about moral absolutes, but there wasn't really time. After the debate I was invited out for dinner with the speakers and some other Christians and philosophy types so ended up at the end of the table with a friend from London and a couple of philosophy students. The curry was very good. The conversation was, shall we say, 'interesting', but very good for me learning how to be graceful in the face of someone taking cheap shots and just on the lookout for a fight. That said, I had some great conversation with the other girl at dinner and have had some really interesting and fruitful times over the week with other friends who were there.
On reflection, I should have written this on Tuesday. The account of my daring caper with another Christian worker to make sure we were able to hear the debate, despite the authorities attempting to kick us out at least 3 times, would have been much funnier.
Only 2 posts until blog number 100. Look out for something special. Probably.
For those that wanted photos of my alternative parting, I didn't take any. Have one of the results of my football match today instead.
And I finally finished my bumper newsletter this week. If you haven't received it and would like to, let me know.
Actually, I was one of those turned away. But after a few sneaky dashes through fire-exits and doors with big no-entry signs on it, I ended up sitting in the dark behind the stage, unable to see a thing, but able to hear everything just fine. As it turned out, the debate itself was a little disappointing. The title didn't really lend itself to clashes and most of what the speakers said was rhetoric, keeping things within their camp. Dr Atkins said we should rid the mind of God because it was a delusion for the weak and led to wars etc., Dr McGrath argued that God provided a framework for life. Peter Atkins also said a few interesting things such as how he didn't be live there were ANY 'why' questions that mattered, only 'how'. And also how he always thought the least complex explanation was right. for example, God creating the universe is more complex than nothing creating it in his eyes and therefore not viable.
Things only really got interesting in the question time, when someone asked why the least complex answer should necessarily be right, which he didn't really have an answer for. It also threatened to get interesting when the speakers flirted with talking about moral absolutes, but there wasn't really time. After the debate I was invited out for dinner with the speakers and some other Christians and philosophy types so ended up at the end of the table with a friend from London and a couple of philosophy students. The curry was very good. The conversation was, shall we say, 'interesting', but very good for me learning how to be graceful in the face of someone taking cheap shots and just on the lookout for a fight. That said, I had some great conversation with the other girl at dinner and have had some really interesting and fruitful times over the week with other friends who were there.
On reflection, I should have written this on Tuesday. The account of my daring caper with another Christian worker to make sure we were able to hear the debate, despite the authorities attempting to kick us out at least 3 times, would have been much funnier.
Only 2 posts until blog number 100. Look out for something special. Probably.
For those that wanted photos of my alternative parting, I didn't take any. Have one of the results of my football match today instead.
And I finally finished my bumper newsletter this week. If you haven't received it and would like to, let me know.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Friday, March 09, 2007
At least dogs love us.
This week I realised I don't like people. Now it may be just that I'm a grumpy cynic (I can almost hear the dissident cries of "No, Alasdair, you're a great big ray of bubbly sunshine all the time!"), but this society depresses me.
Leaving aside all the sociological stuff about broken families (The Scotsman's front page today ran an article on how divorce rates have risen 19% and nearly 50% of kids are born outside of marriage), failing schools and a TV generation, I don't think people like each other anymore. It's not just me. People don't seem to like anyone else.
The two things that have stimulated this thought process: On Wednesday I went to see The Good Shepherd. This is a LONG film. Not as long as Lord of the Rings, but definately less entertaining. It just seemed that nobody could take this kind of tedium or bum ache - the couple next to us talked all the way through, and a girl in front even had a phone conversation 20 minutes before the end (ok, it was whispered, but I could hear the guy talking on the other end). So the point I'm driving at is that none of these people had any care for anyone else.
And today, I was having a retreat day and went up Blackford Hill to pray and read the Bible. There were a lot of dog walkers around and for some reason (it must be my bubbly sunshiny character) a decided to smile at everyone I walked past. Not one person returned it.
So I'm losing the thrust of this, and because I can't be bothered to proof it and re-edit, I'll summarize. This society is depressing: people are inward looking and largely have little respect for the rest of the community outside their friendship group. David Cameron reckons the breakdown of family values is to blame. I'm inclined to agree. Maybe I'll vote for him this time.
Leaving aside all the sociological stuff about broken families (The Scotsman's front page today ran an article on how divorce rates have risen 19% and nearly 50% of kids are born outside of marriage), failing schools and a TV generation, I don't think people like each other anymore. It's not just me. People don't seem to like anyone else.
The two things that have stimulated this thought process: On Wednesday I went to see The Good Shepherd. This is a LONG film. Not as long as Lord of the Rings, but definately less entertaining. It just seemed that nobody could take this kind of tedium or bum ache - the couple next to us talked all the way through, and a girl in front even had a phone conversation 20 minutes before the end (ok, it was whispered, but I could hear the guy talking on the other end). So the point I'm driving at is that none of these people had any care for anyone else.
And today, I was having a retreat day and went up Blackford Hill to pray and read the Bible. There were a lot of dog walkers around and for some reason (it must be my bubbly sunshiny character) a decided to smile at everyone I walked past. Not one person returned it.
So I'm losing the thrust of this, and because I can't be bothered to proof it and re-edit, I'll summarize. This society is depressing: people are inward looking and largely have little respect for the rest of the community outside their friendship group. David Cameron reckons the breakdown of family values is to blame. I'm inclined to agree. Maybe I'll vote for him this time.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The Big Blue
So diving was great. I was wrong about the weather thouhg. It sucked. Typical Scotland on Saturday - torrential rain for 20 minutes, then 20 minutes of brilliant sunshine, wash, lather, repeat. And then on Sunday, it was just the torrential rain. They even got a (possibly first ever) hurricane warning for Monday morning (don't think they got one though). And my dry suit was leaking (I need a new neck seal), so I ended up being damp and cold for most the day. Apart from that, it was great. Once under the water, the rain doesn't matter so much.
We dived the Breda and did a few other scenic things.
Some people saw a shark (don't get too excited, it was only a dogfish), but my highlight was a mad nudibranch I'd never seen before. Saturday also involved an interesting "made up 80s super hero night". I'm not really sure who I ended up being, but apparently I bore resembelence to a character called Al from Quantum Leap. A show I've never seen. Decide for yourself..
However, the weekend's exertions did raise an interesting thought - I've currently completed about 170 dives, which equatates to 85 hours at an average of half an hour a dive. That's three and a half days underwater in the last 5 years. Which I think is pretty cool. People come up with all sorts of stats about how long you spend eating, watching tv, sleeping etc., but this isn't just some menial task, this is breathing from compressed air tens of metres below the surface of the sea. It just isn't a natural thing to do. It is, however, really cool and is currently ranking alongside Aussie Rules as my favourite thing to do.
Today it was sunny. I wore sunglasses for the first time outside my car this year. Vitamin D coursed through my body and has made me happy. It's been a good day.
Edit: Another reason why I don't use Xanga. I clicked the worng part of the page and was directed to a personals site for 'Big Beautiful Women'. Not nice. Not that I'm sizeist or anything.
We dived the Breda and did a few other scenic things.
Some people saw a shark (don't get too excited, it was only a dogfish), but my highlight was a mad nudibranch I'd never seen before. Saturday also involved an interesting "made up 80s super hero night". I'm not really sure who I ended up being, but apparently I bore resembelence to a character called Al from Quantum Leap. A show I've never seen. Decide for yourself..However, the weekend's exertions did raise an interesting thought - I've currently completed about 170 dives, which equatates to 85 hours at an average of half an hour a dive. That's three and a half days underwater in the last 5 years. Which I think is pretty cool. People come up with all sorts of stats about how long you spend eating, watching tv, sleeping etc., but this isn't just some menial task, this is breathing from compressed air tens of metres below the surface of the sea. It just isn't a natural thing to do. It is, however, really cool and is currently ranking alongside Aussie Rules as my favourite thing to do.
Today it was sunny. I wore sunglasses for the first time outside my car this year. Vitamin D coursed through my body and has made me happy. It's been a good day.
Edit: Another reason why I don't use Xanga. I clicked the worng part of the page and was directed to a personals site for 'Big Beautiful Women'. Not nice. Not that I'm sizeist or anything.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Yessir
Yesterday, whilst walking through George Square, I passed a woman walking with (presumably) her son, going home from school. Nothing odd about this, except the kid was dressed entirely in army desert fatigues. Jacket, trousers, boots - even helmet (although this was painted for jungle warfare). The kid couldn't have been more than 8. Very surreal. I would have got a picture, but I was too afraid of the kid attacking me with a swiss army knife if I pulled out my camera.
In other news, I'm going diving in Oban for the weekend today. Hurrah. And the weather finally got better, just in time.
Did I tell the story about my car breaking down and when the AA turned up, discovering it had an embarrasingly simple problem? Oh well another time maybe...
To make up for lack of child pictures, I googled "Kid, camouflage" and this came up. He certainly isn't British. And he's a hunter, not an army kid, but never mind...
In other news, I'm going diving in Oban for the weekend today. Hurrah. And the weather finally got better, just in time.
Did I tell the story about my car breaking down and when the AA turned up, discovering it had an embarrasingly simple problem? Oh well another time maybe...
To make up for lack of child pictures, I googled "Kid, camouflage" and this came up. He certainly isn't British. And he's a hunter, not an army kid, but never mind...
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