Freedom From The Mundane » York

Going Mad For A Bit

colingalbraith — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:34:36 +0000

Image: bized.co.uk

It’s Monday morning, it’s cold outside, I’m leaving for work and I’m sore from the weekend. But best of all, I’m happy.

The last three days had much of what we have come to love about a Diners’ trip; endless laughter, non-stop slagging, ridiculous behaviour and an aperitif or two to whet our whistles. Our venue was the beautiful city of York, and we made ourselves known within two minutes of boarding the train.

The fun began at 07:50 as several bottles of Grolsch (it was on offer at the ‘offie’) were cracked open to the sound of the London-bound train’s wheels squealing out of Central Station into the dim light of a fresh Friday morning.

We arrived in York at 11:33 and after locating the hotel and dumping our bags, found a local pub—The Edinburgh Pub, would you believe—and tucked into some well-earned stodgy meals for lunch. There then followed a monster pub crawl around the bars of York; O’Neill’s, The Windmill, The Nags Head, The Artful Dodger, The Priory and The Parish to name but a few.

It was, as they say, an awesome trail of laughter and frolics, and it was therefore no wonder that by the end of the night I had got lost on the way back to the hotel, and had to locate the train station in order to persuade a taxi willing to take me the few hundred yards to where I knew my hotel was, but simply unable to find.

Saturday was a less lively day with my hangover amongst the worst of the group. That said, we ended up doing pretty much the same thing again —same pubs, same drinks, same people, different jokes. My donner kebab at the end of the night was well-earned!

It wasn’t a cultural trip as you can probably tell, and by late-morning on Sunday we found ourselves on the train back home. When the train switched at Waverly I bid the rest of The Diners farewell and jumped in a cab for home, where I proudly spent the next few hours lying on the couch under a rug and watching crap films and programmes on the telly.

It was that kind of weekend but I needed it. Yes, I feel tired and sore from all the stupidity and all the drinking, but hey, I only see my pals every now and then and I really needed to forget who I was for a few hours and just go mad for a bit. Mission accomplished. I took a few photos of the lads out and about but have still to upload them—tomorrow’s post will hopefully contain.

Time to wrap up January’s GDR:

Fiction
* Re-start writing Baccara Burning – done; 6 of 6 edited and moving forward once again
* Write one new short/flash story per month – not done
* Re-submit any rejected/recalled short stories – not done
* Submit more fiction/poetry competitions – not done

Poetry
* Write at least one poem per week – done
* Work on Silly Poems for Wee People Vol.2 – done

Editing
* Stay on top of RR submissions – not done
* Publish RR issue 9 for December 2009 – done

Freelance
* Create platform for client to sell arty products – not done; client not ready
* Get a few more gigs to review for NotW – advance gigs lined up through record label
* Keep up all websites updated and relevant – done
* Scotland’s Treasure for February – Album Review done; 1 pending
* SDR website for Feb issue – done and will be published today
* Catch up on all outstanding gig and album reviews (1 album; 4 reviews) – done

Reading & Learning
* The Kenneth William Diaries by Russell Davies – IP
* On Writing by Stephen King – IP
* One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson – not started

Non-Writing
* Re-launch diet – IP

Things That Turned Up
* The Bluegate Poets have recommended FF to its members

Submissions Made
None; several shortlisted for immediate submission though

Outstanding
Still a few short stories—need to chase these up this month and turn them around.
I’ve taken SLICK off the list since it has been so long that I have not heard back from the agencies concerned.

Successes
I’ve managed to get things going again, which I should regard as a positive. I’ve not managed to set aside as much time as I would have liked but it has been and extraordinary month in the day job and so I should take it as a success that I managed to get as much time as I did.

It was great to catch up and get renewed vitality and energy for BACCARA BURNING. My priority remains to complete my outstanding works of fiction and move forward with a new chapbook or two. It was equally as pleasurable to find a new location to write outside my home, something I need to take more advantage over if I am to get greater results from shorter spans of writing time.

It’s not a direct thing, but I feel more generally positive about my writing than I have done in the last few months. There’s been a quite a lot of upheaval in my private life and so just putting pen back on paper so regularly has been a great step towards having more writing in my life again.

Overall, and all things considered, it’s been as good a month as I could have hoped and I’m very pleased.

Failures
The only downside would be that I didn’t manage to make any more time but that’s a small one; other priorities took over and they are of the kind of thing that the time went to something more important. It’s been a good month overall and I don’t want to look at anything that could be twisted into a negative if I over-examined it.

Grand Ol’ Duke

colingalbraith — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:26:53 +0000

Image: Super Woman

I’ve been right under the cosh this week at work. Boring stuff so I won’t go on about it, needless to say it involved some late night shifts, one which saw me start at 8am and not get to my bed until 4am the following morning. Oh, what fun and japes.

As I type this the weather is quite mild here in Edinburgh, which is just as well because I shaved my head last night in preparation for this coming weekend. I’m heading off to York with the lads, or as we now call ourselves, The Diners – (It’s a long story).

I’m really looking forward to getting away. These past few weeks have been really stressful at work and I need a wee blow out to come back down off it all. Envisioning that first pint of lager on the train tomorrow morning, and then settling into one of the many bars I’ll visit in the City of York these next couple of days, is just about all that’s keeping me upright.

Two things are guaranteed over the next three days: lots of drinking and lots of laughter; my kind of weekend, my kind of therapy.

I wonder if I’ll see the Grand Ol’ Duke?

Curves Of Learning

colingalbraith — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:33:48 +0000

Image: BGIS

I never got a chance to post yesterday. Shit happens. By the time I got back in from work time was ticking on and I could still have made it to my writer’s group. Other things transpired, however, and it ended up being a late night pour moi. Tired beyond belief, I slept in yesterday morning and was late for work. Not only that, but all the desks were taken and I had to sit in another wing of the building entirely!

On checking the local gig listings over lunch, the next two weeks in Edinburgh are just the same as they have been over the last couple—devoid of anything. It seems that the music scene has more or less shut down around here and most places, unless they are big mega-charting bands, just aren’t doing anything at all. All of which means there is nothing to review!

If you happen to be in a band, are playing anywhere in Edinburgh and want to be reviewed, drop me an email or leave me yours in the Comments box at the end of this post.

My new role in the day job is placing extra demands on me but I’m greatly enjoying what I’m doing. I’m still managing to close off after work and switch to the creative side of my brain, but it’s just with the days being longer I’m finding I need to manage my time more effectively. I feel as though I’m on a bit of a learning curve in several aspects of my life: new day job role, writing time management and then the rest!

I began the process of preparing the next issue of The Scruffy Dog Review, due out in February. The contributions come in bit by bit, which is actually a good thing because I can stagger the workload and not feel pressured into getting it all ready at once.

I pulled out a few fiction competitions that either spurred the imagination or are good local ones to enter. There’s a good few of these on the books now so meeting the deadlines should keep me busy.

The next “Diners” trip is now scheduled for the end of the month. We’re going back to the same place we visited this time next year—York. One of the group never made last year’s trip and we only saw a small part of it ourselves, so we decided it would be good if we all went back and saw the pubs on the other side of town. We’re booked on an early train on the 29th—it should be an interesting trip.

Crisis, What Crisis?

Colin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:15:47 +0000

Image: Chris Brown

Back to work today and my, what a struggle! After a weekend of chilling with my mates, ridiculous drinking games, and wild debauchery, kicking my gears into first only served to rattle my kidneys and tire me out. It took several bottles of water and a very early night to set me straight again.

But it was a fantastic weekend. The Group Captain set off on the early Saturday morning train from Glasgow to London Kings Cross, and I joined him as it passed through Edinburgh. Big Chap joined the two of us in Newcastle, and we were on our way – carry out in hand and decked out in full Scottish regalia.

We arrived in York and found the hotel, dumped our bags and headed out to the pub. York is full of a great mixture of bars; old-fashioned pubs that have never felt the brush of modernisation, and young and trendy set in old-fashioned buildings. We saw rather a few of both varieties over the course of the two days.

In between pub stops we did manage to pass a few of the sights; the cathedral, the wall, the squares, the small winding cobbled streets such as the Shambles, etc., and the place reminded me very much of Edinburgh in respect of its historic setting but clear love of the bevy.

When our train pulled out of York Station the snow was falling heavy, which by the time we got up the next day would probably have meant another couple of nights in the city if we hadn’t.

By the time it was over on Sunday night I was well and truly shattered. I’m getting on, you see, but these trips are what make it all worthwhile. I don’t get to see my pals all that often because of our geographical displacement, so we make it a point to arrange gatherings around events like birthdays, rugby matches, the festival, or anything other reason we can drum up. If we didn’t, I for one would go stark raving mad. It’s not like I can pop round to my mates for a cuppa, not without travelling for several hours at least.

And with Sod’s Law being as it is, I found myself back at the day job knackered and dry, and with the reality that I’m still the only one here. It’s my last week without my full-time colleague, and I ended up having to work from 7:30am until 7pm tonight. Not good. Thankfully Gail had a dinner waiting for me getting in, but that only came after I got my head battered raw with hail stones as I made my way home in the blizzard.

Edinburgh, or at least Leith, seems to have escaped most of the winter weather that has somehow brough the entire nation to a standstill. All the salty air keeps it at bay, but not so for everywhere else. London – one of the most forward thinking capitals in the world apparently – ground to a halt today because of a couple of inches of snow.

And what do they all scream? CRISIS!!

Don’t make me laugh.

Fiction
* Complete Blood Ties
* Write one new flash/short story
* Re-submit rejected/recalled short stories
* Enter at least one writing competition
* Complete working on the fiction output from October’s Muse Festival

Poetry
* Write one poem per week

Freelance/Non-Fiction
Writing:
* Work on Scotland’s Treasure column for SDR Spring edition (Apr)
* Query higher paying writing markets, not more lower-paying ones

Business/Web:
* Complete work amalgamating web design and freelance writing sites to compassfreelance.co.uk

Editing
* Stay on top of RR submissions
* Complete laying out RR issue 6

Marketing and Promotion
* Brainstorm ideas for podcasts/videos
* Publish February newsletter
* Prepare March newsletter
* Publish February GDR Plan
* Prepare February GDR Review
* Prepare March GDR Plan
* Keep website(s) up to date

Reading & Learning
* Day by AL Kennedy
* Marketing Sherpa – writing for marketing book
* Always Be Testing – SEO writing book

Non-Writing
* Keep diet going

The Scruffy Dog Review – Winter Issue OUT NOW!!

January GDR Review

Colin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:08:09 +0000

I’m slightly late this month with my monthly wrap-up; a weekend in York with the squadron put paid to me being on time with this and my monthly newsletter, The Patter.

I’ll give you a full catch-up in tomorrow’s post, as well as my GDR plan for February, meanwhile, on with the show.

Fiction
* Work on Blood Ties - still IP; worked a lot on the plot and character development.
* Write one new flash/short story - complete.
* Re-submit any rejected/recalled short stories - 4 to go back out.
* Enter at least one writing competition - complete.
* Work on the fiction output from October’s Muse Festival - IP.

Poetry
* Write one poem per week - 12/5 complete (12/52 overall).

Freelance/Non-Fiction
Writing:
* Work on Scotland’s Treasure column for SDR Spring edition (Apr) - nothing written but several ideas to look at for next issue.
* Query higher paying writing markets, not more lower paying ones - cutting out querying/pitching for the less-paying gigs made me feel I’m not doing as much as last year, but I have to stick with it.
* Remain flexible for any TLB assignments that come through - complete; new opportunities still coming in.

Business:
* Keep company accounts up to date - complete.
* Continue work amalgamating web design and freelance writing sites to compassfreelance.co.uk (need more content and search engine) - IP; quite a large job.
* Examine TLB contracts prior to re-negotiation - complete; strategy for getting more work developed after advice with experienced friend.

Editing
* Stay on top of RR submissions - delayed; need to set aside more time.
* Start laying out RR issue 6 - 70% complete for content; front cover tba; editorials and fillers pending.

Marketing and Promotion
* Brainstorm ideas for podcasts/videos - not done yet.
* Publish January newsletter - complete.
* Prepare February newsletter - IP.
* Publish GDR Full 2009 Plan - complete.
* Publish January GDR Plan - complete.
* Prepare January GDR Review - complete.
* Prepare February GDR Plan - complete.
* Keep website(s) up to date - complete.

Reading & Learning
* Doors Open by Ian Rankin - complete.
* Day by AL Kennedy - IP.

Non-Writing
* Start new diet - IP; not weighed in this month, though.

Things That Turned Up
* Edinburgh photographer requested some major site enhancements; work ongoing

Submissions Made
None

Submissions Outstanding
Novels
Hunting Jack – 1 publisher
Slick – 1 agent, 2 publishers

Novellas
Stella – 1 publisher

Fiction
Wheelhouse 1
Saint Ann’s Review 1
Virtual Tales 1
Contrary Magazine 1
Drunken Boat 1
Lyrical Ballads 1
Roundtable Review 1
The Beat 1
One Story 1

Successes
Nothing major or minor; steady as she goes but feel I could always be doing more. May need to adapt my working pattern to suit new demands being placed on me at the day job.

Failures
Rejection from Neon 2/1
Rejection from Inscribed 2/1
Rejection from Toasted Cheese 5/1
Rejection from GUD 28/1

The Scruffy Dog Review – Winter Issue OUT NOW!!

Out Of Time

Colin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:49:35 +0000

I was hoping to get time to post before leaving for the weekend but it isn’t going to happen.

I’m leaving for York soon so have a great weekend y’all – I sure know I will!!

Bring it on!

The Misguided Sean Connery

Colin — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:36:32 +0000

Image: SeanConnery.com

I read this morning that Sir Sean Connery has been expressing the opinion that the Scottish people should be allowed their voice through a referendum on an independent Scotland. He made the comments while talking about the Homecoming Scotland drive the Scottish Council – sorry, Government – are pushing ahead with.

What I don’t understand is, if he really wants the best for Scotland why doesn’t he live here and pay his taxes like everyone else? And why, after years of backing independence for Scotland and a full break away from the United Kingdom, does he accept a knighthood from Her Majesty the Queen?

Mr Connery likes the idea of an independent Scotland but he doesn’t choose to live here, so won’t see the negative effect it will have. Come to think of it now, he doesn’t see the reality on the streets today never mind tomorrow. How can he all the way from the Bahamas?

Deep down, Connery knows Scotland needs to be part of the UK for it to flourish and stay strong. Without it we would be nothing. He also knows we need the Monarchy and that it holds a greater reign over us than he dare to ever say out loud; why else would he bow to The Queen and accept her honour?

I’m sure Connery loves Scotland and loves her deeply, but I don’t think he does so any more than the ordinary kid on the street. Just because he’s always banging on about the SNP doesn’t make him any more patriotic than I am, it just means he’s misguided.

I spent most of my writing time today polishing off a couple of short stories for submission. Didn’t get as much done on Blood Ties as I wanted but then I did do 12 hours at the day job with only a 10-minute lunch, so when I got home I was knackered.

Gail made roast duck for dinner, which absolutely devine.

The English Teacher came back; my fourth rejection this month.

I’ve got quite a lot to tie up for the end of the month – not sure where I am on the GDR front – because I’m away with the squadron this weekend for a wee trip. We’re UK-bound this time, what with the exchange rate between the Pound and the Euro being so bad, we put the idea of heading to Europe somewhere on the back-burner. York will see us landing in our kilts sometime on Saturday morning. I can’t wait; I understand the pubs serve very nice ale indeed.

The Scruffy Dog Review – Winter Issue OUT NOW!!