Forgive Me.

Forgive me Blog for I have sinned.  It's been nearly six months since my last post.  What?  Six months?  Jesus.  Where has the time gone?

I have to admit at being a bit nervous of writing the blog now.  I started it way back when I was writing my Major Project for my MA.  At that time I said I felt a blog needed a subject - a reason for existing - and my progression through the course was that reason.  But now I've graduated that reason has gone.  So, what's my reason for writing it now?  Well, do I really need one?  I don't think so.  So, I'm going to just write about nothing in particular, just whatever comes up in my life.  It might turn out to be a rather tediously boring blog but at least I'm writing.

So, what's happened since last October?  Well, I graduated and I'm now the proud owner of an MA in Creative Writing.  I can't say it was easy but I got there.  So that's me got a degree from Glasgow Uni and one from Napier Uni and I have to say there is some difference between the two. I don't mean in prestige or kudos or anything like that.  No, I mean the actual degree.  The Glasgow one was encased in a red tube and was all embossing, curly script and Latin and the Napier one was printed on a piece of A4 and shoved in a cardboard folder.  I could have done a better job myself.  But I suppose the certificates are only tokens - it's the experience that counts.  I had a great time at both uni's - and met some brilliant people. But alas, I don't have a job.

What else has happened?  Well, I can tell you what hasn't happened.  I've done absolutely nothing with my idea for a book about Sir Thomas Lipton.  I wrote 20,000 words of it for my Major Project and it's still languishing at the bottom of a bag.  It's been there since I got it back at the end of August.  I haven't even looked through it properly.  I think I spent so much time and effort on it I sickened myself with old Lipton.  Shame, because it's a great story.  I'm sure I'll get back to it one day.  No - I will get back to it.  I just need to think of a different angle.

In my last blog I mentioned I'd entered my play "She's Gone" into the Channel 4/Oran Mor Comedy Award competition .  Needless to say I didn't win.  Although, at one point I started to think they might have at least liked it.  I got an email from April Chamberlain from Channel 4 asking how long the running time was.  I told her about 43- 45 minutes.  She emailed back asking if I could extend it slightly - which I did.  So in my mind I actually got some recognition.  But in the end I didn't even make the short list!  Never mind.

What I did get though was the first scene of a play I'm working on workshopped by Playwright's Scotland at their last Stage to Page event in February.  Now, I don't use the word "thrilling" much but the experience was actually thrilling.  My scene was handed over to a director and two actors who did an amazing job in giving my characters life.  And get this - I was referred to as "the writer" and had to do a Q&A session with about 50 or 60 people who had come along to the CCA to watch the event.  Mental!  I got a lot of positive feedback and some great suggestions on how to take it forward.  To see the words I'd written actually coming to life was brilliant and has really spurred me onto finish writing the play, which I've now done.  The plan is to sit on it for a few days and then do a rewrite.  I have someone in mind to send it to - so fingers crossed.

I haven't bought any Sunday papers for ages because when I used to buy them, they would lie around on sofas before I would put them out for recycling, usually unread.  But I bought the Sunday Mail and the Sunday Herald yesterday out of interest and boredom.  On a first glance through the Sunday Mail I came across "Your Week Ahead" star forecast.  I haven't read this kind of thing for ages so here goes.  Virgo - "It's good to see Mercury moving forward blah, blah, blah.  The cosmos has a spur on now blah, blah, blah.  Around June 22nd you'll celebrate something connected to this week."  What a tease.  I need to wait 14 weeks to see what I'm celebrating.  But what am I doing this week?  Ah - I'm sending my play to someone!  If nothing happens by June 23rd I will be sending a strongly worded letter of complaint to Lynne Ewart, the Sunday Mail's "brilliant astrologer."  Well, she needs to be held accountable for getting me excited.

Anyway, I could be here forever trying to catch up on the last six months and you would be bored rigid so I'll stop and carry on another time - and it won't be in six months, honestly.