Seam

Every once and a while, there's a story that's inspirational. It's about snatching victory from the the jaws of defeat. About total and utter vindication. About sticking two fingers up when it said it couldn't be done. About something that means something not just to the people involved, but becomes a symbol of pride to village, town, city, and country.

Tower Colliery is one such story.

A big fuck you to Thatcher

Patient

So this is it.

No review of last year, no list of things for this year. Not even an album of year list (though if you're asking;

1.) Peter, Bjorn, & John - Writer's Block
2.) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
3.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Dammit! Broke that rule).

Anyways. The blog. I'm having a bit of writers block at the moment, hence the lack of postings. In all honesty, i'm not sure what i want to do with the page anymore. When i started out it was to give an inkling of what goes on in the mind of a 20-something from Midlothian, but it's gone a bit off-track of late.

So i think it's back to the drawing board, me thinks. Stay tuned!

Lion

So, in 24 hours time the nation will either be celebrating a glorious victory, or, as in the past, a glorious defeat.

Either way, it's been a fucking rollercoaster to get to the position where we are. 84th in the world rankings to 13th is not bad going for a country of our size, and for the lack of depth we have in the quality we have of professional players.

Actually, that sounds quite disengenious. The team we have are fantastic. They would have to be to beat the two world cup finalists, a semi finalist, and a team made up of Hearts players. Who would have thought at the start of qualification that players such as Brown, Boyd & McFadden would be talked about in the same breath as greats such as Baxter, Gemmill, or Dalgliesh.

Even if we don't qualify, it's a massive acheivement. The last time we were in a competition was 1998. Too long ago if you ask me...

Film

Surrealist sight of the week:
A bunch of lawyers rioting in the streets of Pakistan

I don't think i've ever seen a bunch of suited persons throwing bricks at the police before, but if not, i have now. You'd think they'd throw the book at them...but then that's what the lawyers have been doing to the police, i'd reckon...

Decadent cd purchase of the week:
Roisin Murphy - Overpowered

Or her from Moloko. A good old fashioned electronica dance album with a fantastic vocalist and decent beats. Just the thing to read the paper to on a Saturday afternoon.

Biggest surprise of the week:

I've actually managed to blog.

Shadowplay

Ok, I have something to admit. Trains. I love 'em. Or more specifically, I love travelling on them. There's little of the frustration that comes with driving, or the waiting that goes on with air travel. You just walk on and go (after buying a ticket, natch).

However, what I love the most is that the main tracks in Britain cut through some of the most achingly beautiful scenery in the country. As I write this* (*nb I wrote this last week at about 7:15 am on the 6:35 train to Manchester) we're rolling through the Cheviots towards the Lakes. On both sides there are hills, trees, and the occasional stream (oh, and a motorway, but nothing's perfect). Added to this, there's mist rising off the water. It's simply gorgeous.

It's easy to forget sitting in a car that there's more than tarmaced roads about, and if you do remember, then you're obviously not paying attention to the roads. Anyway, my tea's getting cold.