Thursday, May 31, 2007

First Minister’s First First Minister’s Questions

I watched it online today and was gripped. My colleague Cathie asked was I watching a comedy, I was tee heeing so much. Not that it was outrageously funny but watching Alex Salmond did remind me of how entertaining a public speaker he can be. When Jack McConnell asked him one of the traditional openers “when will the cabinet next meet?” Alex thanked him for not asking the other usual “when did you last meet the Prime Minister?”! And Annabel Goldie who the entire country loves (despite the fact she’s a Tory), was her usual witty self when she accepted that it “takes two to tango” and described Alex’s “dancing partner” (ie Tony Blair) as “nothing if not coquettish”. Funnies aside, it’s a disgrace that neither TB nor GB (that’s the chancellor, not the entire state) have bothered to pick up the phone to acknowledge Alex as FM. It’s an insult not just to him but to the entire country. If TB can find time for Colonel Gadaffi, he can find 2 minutes to phone the FM of Scotland.
Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 16:00:27 | Permalink | No Comments »

Sleep deprivation

I have to stop tempting fate, I really do. I was just talking to a friend the other day about how I feel so sorry for people who have problems sleeping. “Not a problem for me” says I. “Asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow” I proclaimed smugly. “And although I wake up 5 or 6 times a night, I’m back to sleep in seconds” I told her and then what happens last night? I woke up at 3am and could I get back to sleep? Of course I couldn’t. It’s horrible, it makes you feel miserable and frustrated and stressed out and THAT makes you even less likely to get to sleep. And today, I am feeling like death! So I have even more sympathy for insomniacs than usual and I am resolving never to tempt fate again because I NEVER get away with it.
Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 15:46:44 | Permalink | No Comments »

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

“Och, you’re the same age as me”

That’s what Aileen Campbell, (Scotland’s youngest MSP at the age of 27) used to say to me whenever I moaned about being aged. And it made me feel marginally better because normally I don’t FEEL any different in age. However, occasionally, something happens to make you realise that actually, your friends will tell you whatever you want to hear just to shut you up. Aileen and I are going to be flatmates and we’re busy looking for a flat in Dennistoun. She lives at one end of our street, I live at the other. We’re going to meet in the middle or thereabouts. Anyway last night I told her I’d fixed up a viewing of a flat in Hanson Park and she immediately starts dancing (in the street!) and singing “mmm bop, doo be doo, mmm bop”!! I’m thinking “what is she doing?” and when I finally recover enough to ask her out loud she goes “you know, Hanson” and starts singing again. It took quite a while for the penny to drop with me before I realised it’s that guy, that pop star called Hanson. I felt old. And no, it’s not a guy - it’s 3 guys, it’s a whole band called Hanson. They’re not bad looking either. Oh God, I forgot - I’m old!
Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 22:52:44 | Permalink | Comments (5)

Can’t see green cheese

(or in this case, Green Tea) … and I want it! I am sitting in my kitchen drinking a cup of the stuff. I needed to de-stress after going to visit flats (am moving house again). How impressive is that? I turn to green tea, not alcohol or chocolate. When I worked at SNP HQ I sat near to Malcolm Fleming who was one of our press officers at the time. And he was a great advocate of Green Tea and looked not bad on it (he told me to say that). But he always said he had to hold his nose whilst drinking! That put me off so I didn’t try it. During one election I sat opposite Stephen Noon (today announced as a Special Advisor to the government) and whilst everyone else “de-stressed” by eating cakes, he ate sesame seeds. I tried that and they were very nice (particularly when they formed part of the cake!) unless they got stuck between your teeth which they frequently did. Anyway I recently decided to just hold my nose and go for the Green Tea. No need for clothes pegs, it was quite nice actually. (This one’s flavoured with pear and apple.) The health benefits from it are immense and I actually do feel quite calm now. Right well I’m away to make a sesame seed stir fry for tea!
Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 18:59:47 | Permalink | Comments (2)

To get the morning off to a good start …

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 00:17:17 | Permalink | No Comments »

All hail Isobel Shackleton of Kelso town

The minute I met Julie Shackleton (now Hepburn)’s mum, I knew this woman had taste. And now I’ve had it confirmed. You will only know what I’m talking about if you visit Jules’ blog which, incidentally, is one of my favourites!

http://bidforfreedom.blogspot.com/2007/05/swinney-fan.html

Never mind Julie, my sister Christine was giving her critique on some blog (not yours) and she said to me (and I quote): “I thought your blog was on the drab side, then I had a look at this and it makes my shopping list read like an Oscar Wilde novel” - she has always been noted for her charm has our Christine.

Having said that, I still think the Shackleton matriarch has not only style, grace and youthful good looks, but also impeccable taste.

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 00:05:55 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Go John Go Go Go!

I’ve never been a cheerleader and never wanted to be one (although as you can see from the photo on the left, I do practice occasionally). However, I will make an exception for Scotsman journalist Peter McMahon today after his excellent article on John Swinney.

http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=833162007

I’m sure I’ve said it before on this blog but I’ve always been a big fan of John’s and it’s made me all emotional again (wish this emotion stuff would stop!) seeing him getting the credit he deserves for being who he is. Most people known that John was the SNP leader for a number of years and in that time he took a lot of crap to be blunt. I’m not referring to the leadership challenge - we’re a democratic party and you should be able to challenge someone democratically.

What I’m referring to in the main, is the relentless hounding of him by the press and the insidious way in which they twisted everything. They showed him no respect but he continued to give his all for the Party and the cause in a dignified manner. He only gave up the leadership when it became clear to him that the press were never going to focus on SNP policies whilst they had him to have a go at.

I’ve probably said this on here before too (God knows I’ve banged on about it for long enough) but the thing I hated hearing the most was that he was a “nice” man. Yes, he was and IS a nice man but it’s not the most striking feature. That, is probably his intelligence and dynamism. I worked for the SNP during his leadership and before that I worked for Business for Scotland. I accompanied John on some visits to business leaders. And I am not at all surprised at the favourable reports he’s receiving. He is amazing and he has so much integrity.

As I said, he IS a nice man too. On the day he resigned, it was such a shock for those of us working there. SNP Headquarters was stowed out with journalists, you couldn’t move for cameras and we all knew what was coming. Some people were crying - it was a very emotional thing witnessing “the end” for someone we all liked and respected so much. But John was great. He came upstairs afterwards and HE comforted US. HE reassured US.

And I’m so glad it wasn’t “the end” for him - not so much for him, not even for the SNP, but for this country. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that John Swinney will do great things for Scotland and over the next few years, he’ll have cheerleaders coming out of his ears :-)

PS Read the article!

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 23:52:05 | Permalink | No Comments »

Heard it all now

Sometimes I think the world’s going mad, and other times I think “it’s just me”! But this is definitely completely off the wall. Poland has banned the Teletubbies from its TV screens. Why? Because of their silly names? Irritating voices? Inability to enunciate? Nope! It’s because they’re promoting homosexuality. Aaah, you see, if you’d thought about it for long enough, you’d have guessed wouldn’t you? No? Really? But it’s pretty obvious to the children’s rights spokesperson in Poland that the show is “gay propaganda”! Think about it - Tinky Winky’s handbag. What does that say to you because apparently, what it says to this (government appointed) guy is that the Teletubbies are a sinister attempt to “turn” children gay! It’s not me this time, it’s definitely the rest of the world!

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 22:36:01 | Permalink | No Comments »

We should all stop and question this one

The SNP government is doing as it promised and standing up for Scotland’s interests. The latest is the statement from the Scottish government on British plans to introduce draconian “stop-and-question” powers for police. It’s allegedly to fight terrorism. How? All it will do is intimidate and provoke innocent law abiding people who are going about their business thinking about what they’re having for their tea rather than plotting to bomb us all. It’s not the way we do things in Scotland and it will not do anything to enhance police relations with the wider community. So Kenny MacAskill has said no, we may not have power over anti terrorism laws (yet) but we do decide what our police forces spend their time on. It’s going to be a very different Scotland shortly - certainly different to the times when Jack pandered to Tony regardless of the consequences for our people.

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 16:43:03 | Permalink | No Comments »

“I’m a VERY lucky person Anne …

… it’s just a bit unfortunate that it’s all BAD luck!”

That’s what my dad used to say to me whenever I bemoaned the fact that he never seemed to have any luck. And sometimes I think I’ve inherited the luck from him.

* Last week someone I know was having a hard time of it so I offered to meet up and be a shoulder to cry on. I was listening so intently to his woes (yes I do occasionally listen) that I forgot I was on a meter and ended up with a parking fine which I couldn’t pay (don’t even start me on my “luck” with money) and therefore am now having to pay double.

* Today I offered to do a favour for someone and in the process, bumped my car so the door’s all bashed in now! Still, it’s the same door that got shot by an airgun so at least I’ve only got one decrepit door.

* Some time ago, I was having a really hard time financially and was offered some temp work. On my first day the car broke down en route - the exhaust had fallen off - £85 to get to work!!

I have many such stories, most of them a whole lot worse than these. I might start a little series.  Certainly my friends find them to be entertaining - I am often asked to relate such stories by special request! And the weird thing is, I am still a very optimistic person.

Anyway, I don’t know why I’m writing about this. I think I’ll now go and write something deeply political - am a little sensitive to the fact that a friend told me I was the “Lorraine Kelly of blogging”!!! Will put my Kirsty Wark thinking cap on and be back shortly.

Posted by Anne McLaughlin AKA IndyGal in 16:21:01 | Permalink | Comments (6)