Today was a lovely day, so I thought I’d head out for a walk. Heading along the Fife Coastal path and got a little snap happy. Featured is an old shooting point from World War 2 and the new Queensferry Crossing being build across the Forth Estuary. I love the sea air, and have grown up around this area. When you see the gorgeous scenery, I can’t understand how people can say they hate living in Fife.
I am sorry there have been no posts in the last week. I have been ill with a horrible virus, which has taken my appetite, whilst covering me head to toe with a rather attractive rash. I’ll be honest, I haven’t been to focus on anything bar my itchy skin. The few days where I was able to thing productively, I couldn’t look at a computer or phone screen for 5 minutes before my head started thumping. So, nothing has been done at all, which is something that gets me really depressed.
I hate it. I like feel I need a sense of purpose for me to be happy. Which may seem silly, but I can’t really help it. I know that one of the easiest things to settle my mind and lift my mood is to feel like I have achieved something. Which is why to-do lists litter my day-to-day life, so that I can actually push myself forwards through every day. It stops me from becoming overwhelmed by things. And when I had no way to even figure out a to-do list because I had no energy, and so it added a feeling of failure on top of feeling like rubbish.
So, I have decided that a week off was the best thing for me do. Things happen, and commitments need to change as result. And for someone who relies on routine so much, this is a good thing. I haven’t once berated myself because I didn’t post last week. It may sound trivial, but that is something rather revolutionary for me. It doesn’t take much for me to start feeling bad, and it happens all the time. So, I am rather pleased that, for once, I made a conscious decision to not even think about it. There was nothing I could do about being ill, and not being able to sit in front of a computer. It is a thing that happened. The important thing is, that I am now feeling more normal. I am wanting to get back into routine again, and get life back to normal.
Hope anyone reading is doing okay, and that you have had better luck than I have recently.
Today I ventured outside with my new camera. The Canon PowerShot SX510 is a digital bridge camera, something that I wanted since I did a photography course at college many years ago. I like taking pictures, although I am not the best at it. But that is the good thing about hobbies, you do not have to be particularly good to do it, you just have to do something that you enjoy.
Anyways, I was to meet a friend today, and because I was in town early, I went for a walk down the main park in Dunfermline, Pittencrieff Park (also known as The Glen). It was a gift by Andrew Carnegie to the people of Dunfermline, the town of his birth, after he made his fortune in America in the steel industry. He also donated a library. gymnasium and concert hall to Dunfermline, and also various projects through the USA, particularly New York’s famous Carnegie Hall. Carnegie believed that one third of life should be spent learning as much as they can, the next third spent making as much money as he could. The last third of one’s life should then be spent giving earnings to worthwhile causes to better society. The Glen is one of my favourite places in my hometown, so I thought it was the perfect first trip out with my new camera.
And then I ventured up to the Abbey, a building dating from the early 1200s. A beautiful place.
The one thing that struck me as strange, was the number of squirrels about. I am sure that the squirrels used to hibernate, but the mild winter and constant food from visitors mean that they haven’t done so in years. Visitors are encouraged to bring nuts and seeds to the park to feed the birds over the winter, and the squirrels feed off them. And because they get food of people, they have no fear and can come right close to you.
My plan was to write a blog on both sides of the independence debate, which is currently going on in Scotland, with a vote due to take place in a few days. I was going to blog facts from either side, to make something that people can read through. I thought that would be a simple tactic, be honest and impartial. It, however, has not been that easy.
I started out the campaign, sitting in the ‘No’ camp. And thought that writing about the debate would help clarify what I thought, whilst cleaning through all the BS that occurs in politics. Since the debate was announced, I planned to write. But I couldn’t. I struggled to find information to make my writing coming across as balanced. I read books, watched the TV debates, spoke to campaigners and researched online. The ‘Yes’ information seemed to be very positive, and sold their aims with passion. The ‘No’ information seemed to be negative, and concentrating on debunking what their opposition said.
Now, that of course is a bit of a generalisation. But because I hit a dead end at the start of the campaign, I felt I would leave it for a time when things would be more ‘padded out’. So that anything that I posted, would accurately represent both sides of the debate, as this was something that I felt was missing. I left it for a while. And, then a little bit longer. And now, in 48 hours voting will be over. And I still don’t feel that I can accurate represent both sides equally. So, I made the decision to back-step. I think as the debate has gone on, I have felt my mind change as I researched more and more. It also began to dawn on me how difficult it would be to write about something that has a direct impact on myself, and try to be impartial. When something is going to affect you, your brain is always going to try and think on one side or the other. Maybe that is a fault in my writing, that I can’t seem to write past my own opinions.
But that honesty of my own opinions, is something that I have always written about in this blog. I feel that being honest with myself, makes me honest with any readers. And some of the nonsense that is passing back and forth in this debate, is just lies. And I don’t feel comfortable passing on lies and exaggeration as if it were facts that could help make up someone’s mind. And if someone is unsure, I’d re-direct them to http://www.bettertogether.net and http://www.yesscotland.net. Personally, I am still swithering, but am leaning more towards a ‘Yes’ vote. Maybe it is time for a change? The government doesn’t seem to understand a lot, and independence will hopefully do more for the rest of Britain too.
I feel like the big point I need to make is to remind people to tolerate one another. This debate on whether Scotland has created quite a large division between people. Those who believe we are better as British, and those who believe Scotland needs to do it alone. Yes, the vote is the most important thing to happen to Scotland in a generation, but every voter is only acting on what they believe will be best for us. Best for our country. Best for our future. A person who hasn’t researched online isn’t ‘stupid’, a person who wants to dream isn’t ‘delusional’. What seems obvious to one person is not obvious to everyone. Every person is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions, and should be allowed that. This vote is a democratic one. This means, that you have to allow others to vote what they want, without FEAR or INTIMIDATION.
I haven’t been sleeping at night.
It is because of the impending Independence Referendum which is happening in Scotland, in under a month. It is a change for the people in Scotland to decided our future. To decide where we want our country to go next. It is a chance to show the world who we are, and what we stand for. There is just two options. Yes or No?
When the announcement for the referendum came about, I was feeling that with English relatives, I was British, and that was that. In the last several months, various propaganda have come out for both sides. Telling us why or why not to vote for independence. Great, both sides should get a say. Put across their side of the argument and let the people decide. So, because I felt like I wasn’t looking into the debate enough, I started reading up on it. Looking at the policies and following both sides of the debate on various parts of social media. I had decided that if I wanted to look at the debate equally, then I wanted to see the public faces of these campaigns. I wanted to know what the folk promoting their side had to say about things. Seemed to make sense, at the time.
However, I have found that all these avenues have just confused me. Whilst Yes Scotland and Better Together have presented arguments for their side, it has become difficult to decipher the facts from the campaigns from personal opinion and views. There is a big case of each side calling the other ‘liars’ and trying to debunk what each other says. People who have made their mind up, are so blinded that they see any other option as ‘wrong’ or ‘stupid’.
In my opinion a good political discussion should be able to be held, without superior undertones and offending any doubters. Every person is making their opinion which is personal to them, and accepting that is the first step to an adult discussion on anything. But that isn’t happening. I try to go on various forums and speak about the debate with people from either side of the debate. This seemed like a good way for people to show me how they were convinced of a particular side, and how they feel about it. But that didn’t happened. I would question what people said, to try and find out more on the main points of the debate, and I would be made to feel stupid and insignificant. To the decided voters, what their side says is obvious to them, because they believe it. Because they are already chosen their side, it may become the only option. Because it is the only option to them. It may not be the only option for everyone.
And that is democracy. Not, vote my way or you are a moron. Accepting other opinions, and feeling secure enough to put down your opinion, and leave it. This debate has become over-run by people who appear to have not looked into any politics before in their lives. People with a ‘do or die’ momentum. There is no good or evil side. There is no suspense driving background music that comes on when you read something made-up or misleading. Life isn’t that easy. You have to look at all options and decide for yourself, and try not to get discouraged or bullied by those who belittle you. It is having the belief that the voters will make the right choice, and to go with that choice, whatever your personal feelings. The main thing, that people remain united, try not to fall out with people with different views.
I apologise at this stage, because I realise (as usual) that I have rambled. I needed to get out my feelings about this vote, because I hope to start afresh. Over the next few weeks, in the run up the referendum vote, I hope to post directly from both Yes and Better Together. I hope to clarify the vote for some undecided people, like myself, and make sense of this mess. I want to make it clear that whilst interested in politics, I have no formal education or experience in this field. I just want to paint a picture of the debate, without the posturing, and in the process calm myself down about this impending vote.
I really enjoy watching sport, and can sit through most, but football is my favourite. Soccer to some, football to most, it is the sport that I grew up watching. So when my local, and favourite, team Dunfermline Athletic started having financial problems last season, I became concerned. Then when the club was given a wind-up order over an unpaid tax bill, and entered administration, it would not be melodramatic to say that my heart broke. This big feature of my hometown could be gone, 128 years of history gone because a few people mis-managed the club.
Over the last few months, a consortium of Pars fans and local business professionals formed a group called Pars United. The aim of this group was to bring the club back into the care of the community, so that the club could be run open and honestly, instead of directors and chairmen hiding behind closed doors. Pars United raised funds from local businesses, Pars fans and the community of West Fife, to help run the club, and try to gather a bid to take over. At the start of the summer, Dunfermline’s administrator, BDO, announced Pars United as the preferred bidder for the club. The next thing to do was to make an arrangement to who the club owed moneys of around £10 million to.
To do this a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) was to be created, and pitched to the clubs creditors. This would be an agreement that the club would pay a certain amount of the money back, rather than the full amount ( such as 1p in the £). For the CVA to pass, and for Pars United to start managing the club, 75% of the creditors had to agree to the CVA on Tuesday 30th July 2013.
Now whilst the actual voting is not been made public, the vote in agreement for the CVA was ‘overwhelming’. Meaning the club won’t get liquidated, and that the players and the club has a way forward, and are a step closer to being out of administration. Whilst it is great news for the club, it has been a big action by all the business effected by the clubs debt. A lot of local businesses lost out on a lot of money. But they agreed that the possible income brought about by having a football club in Dunfermline was of greater importance. And I, and every other Dunfermline fan, do not have the words to say how grateful we are that these people helped our club secure a future.
A lot of things had been put on hold whilst the CVA was sorted out. Namely the squad line-up and pictures, seemingly menial things the club would have normally done over the summer break. So Tuesday afternoon, after the CVA vote announcement, the squad had a picture day, and the offical squad list was released. The picture of the squad is below, and you can sense the joy of the boys that have a season to look forward to.
The 2013/14 squad are Alex Whittle (Midfielder)
Allan Smith (Striker)
Andrew Geggan (Midfielder)
Blair Henderson (Striker)
Callum Morris (Defender)
Christopher Kane (Midfielder)
Craig Dargo (Striker)
Declan O’Kane
Faissal El Bakhtaoui (Striker)
Ivan D’Angelo (Midfielder)
John Potter (Defender)
Joshua Falkingham (Midfielder)
Kerr Young (Defender)
Lewis Spence (Midfielder)
Lewis Martin (Defender)
Michal Hrivnak (Goalkeeper)
Ross Drummond (Defender)
Ross Millen (Defender)
Ryan Goodfellow (Goalkeeper)
Ryan Ferguson
Ryan Scully (Goalkeeper)–on loan from Partick Thistle
Ryan Thomson (Midfielder)
Ryan Wallace (Midfielder)
Ryan Williamson
Shaun Byrne (Midfielder)
Stephen Husband (Midfielder)
*Now the clubs future is secured, there are reports of players getting added via loans from other clubs*
If you can’t tell, I am over the moon. It has been the hardest year I have ever had as a sports fan, and would not wish this on anyone. Dunfermline would not be the same without the Pars, so thank you to everyone who helped this club work towards its 129th year.
I am writing this entry from my local library because my home internet is dead, and my phone is not allowing me to post updates. Instead of complaining, I am going to try and say what a different things, like free internet, does for communities.
When I was at school internet was slow and expensive, hence I never had it. The local council started to invest in computers, to provide people with the internet, who couldn’t afford it. They did this by equipting most local libraries with PCs. It gave so many people the access to a whole world that they couldn’t see before. They could send emails, apply for jobs, shop online and learn about so many things.
Since I first used these library computers 15 years ago, my home got broadband, and a laptop that works (kinda). The local library, which once housed 2 computers, now has 12. The library runs classes to help people get to grip with computers and the internet. Allow pensioners send emails to relatives who live on the other side of the world. And, people who struggle with unemployment, get help on how to apply for jobs or type up a CV. It’s made computers so much accessible. You no longer need to spend a fortune on a PC and a home broadband connection.
I remember when I was at school, there was a few internet cafes that opened. Where you would paid £5 for an hour of computer access. Obviously, times have changed, the government helped. You can now rent public computers for an hour a time, and all you need is a library card. I think this is awesome, but I don’t know how widespread this is. My local council is Fife Council, and they have made it a priority to make computers and the internet accessible to all local residents, for free.
It’s times like this, where I take stock, and am thankful for where I live. And it isn’t just because my own technology is so tempermental.
So Google spoke to me today, and it said…
This made me so happy. I am really proud of being Scottish, and this is a day to share that pride.
“About the middle of the tenth century, Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. Several legends state that the relics of Andrew were brought under supernatural guidance from Constantinople to the place where the modern town of St Andrews stands today”
-Wikipedia
St. Andrew is seen as being the individual who lead Scotland to become a Christian country.
To be honest, I know a lot of people view this as a day to celebrate being part of Scotland. We have a rich history and are known for being a friendly country. The government dubbed it ‘The Best Small Country in The World’, others dub it ‘God’s Country’. I call it home, and I feel that every Scot should wave a Saltire in pride and celebrate, for we have a lot to be grateful for.
So Happy St Andrews day to everyone from Scotland, where ever you are.
Sometimes, as you may be aware of, if you read this blog, I think too much about rubbish. Sometimes when it gets a bit too much, and I get a bit of a headache due to over-thinking, I like to go for a walk. It’s something that has always had a calming effect on me, think it must be all the fresh air. So on Sunday, tired of sitting around and thinking too much, I decided to go for a walk to North Queensferry, which is just the next town over from where I stay.
I guess, I am really lucky, at where I live because I have the chance to walk place other than just streets. Fife has a coastal path, which allows you to walk or cycle along the coast on paths created to keep people away from the roads. It leads to having loads of walks along dirt paths, and admiring the scenery including lovely beaches. It makes me really greatful to having grown up in a place like this. I mean we have shops and good railway and bus links, but we also have so much countryside set aside for walking in.
Although I utimately would like to move to a big city, like Glasgow, I think that I would miss walking through countryside.Yeah, I’d walk through the city, but it doesn’t have the same feeling to it really. But I have done that before, I just love walking around and listening to my ipod, being in a world of my own. People do come a long way, especially to see North Queensferry, seeing as ex-PM Gordon Brown lives there, and the Forth Rail Bridge. Which is something that has always amazed me. I mean, I can’t think how anyone would go about making a bridge like that now, let alone 120 years ago, when it was built.
sueriot.com 