Moving Home

Since uni has finished until September I'm moving back to my mum and dad's, who also have one of my Gran's living with them. But sensible woman that my mum is she has got a living room and bedroom each for all of us. It's great!! As is having my mum's cooking again!

The summer is giving me loads of time to write. But as I've had each draft read and learned from the notes, and from reading advice all over the web I'm now noticing mistakes myself, and am much more self-critical, making this the toughest draft so far. I've started it three different way, I've killed off characters, introduced new ones, and I'm still not happy but I'll keep plodding along until it feels right.

Writing, Writing, Writing

I'm writing the third draft of my spec script 'Hanging On' just now and it's going really well, if full of ideas and changes and really happy how it's turning out which is a good thing...

And a bad thing I've been so engrossed in writing I haven't had much time to study for the exam I have on Thursday! Whoops!

Like a lot of writers I take a notebook everywhere. Either that or my little netbook. At work I'm always scribbling stuff in my notebook any chance I get. Someone at work the other day asked to see what I was writing - I think I would prefer to show them my underwear!! I will show anyone a complete draft but I would hate for someone to read my notes. They only make sense to me, they're in no order, some are for the draft I'm working, some aren't and it's ideas as they come out of my head, generally nothing like what ends up on the page! Is that just me or do others feel like that?

RANT

As readers of the blog know I love football particuarly, my team Dundee United. What I don't like is the organisations that run the game, especially the SPL.

There are twelve teams in the SPL, they play each other three times, then they split into top six and bottom six who then have another five games. Its a ridiculous system anyway, but this year the SPL excelled themselves at arranging ridiculous fixtures.

On the 9th May Dundee United were scheduled to Aberdeen at the home ground, Tannadice Park. The only problem being that Dundee play Partick Thistle at their home ground of Dens. For those unfamilar with these ground, they're on the same street only a few hundred yards apart. Dundee play in the firt division of the Scottish Football League, so their fixtures were announced last July. And the idiots that run they SPL couldn't manage to avoid a fixture clash. Usually when this happens one of the clubs change to play on the Sunday, and this time was Dundee's turn. They cant as it's the last round of fixtures in the first division and all games have to be played at the same time. Dundee United can't as they play Celtic on the Tuesday. So what did the geniuses at the SPL do? Move the Celtic game? No.The re-arranged it for the Thursday 7th May. Idiots. Already united forums are showing fans saying they can't go, whether it's shift work, no babysitters, or out of towners many fans will have to miss this game.

The thing that really bugs me (yes even more than I've ranted about already) is that they took account of a 10k run in Glasgow, they make sure the old firm game cant be a title decider because the fans can't behave themselves, and they took into account a rugby match in Edinburgh. BUT NOT A BLOODY FOOTBALL MATCH IN THE SAME STREET. Shows what disrespect the SPL have for the city of Dundee.

Good on both clubs for saying they refuse to sort out future clashes between them! Lets see what an arse the SPL make of it next year.


I feel so much better now!

Congratulations Shelley

On Friday I attended the engagement party for my friend Shelley and her intended Josh. What a great night, great to see old friends, can't believe how much some of the kids have grown. Can't party like I used to though I was home before midnight!

Typical Bloody United

I'm sure that title will appear reguarly on here. Dundee United went into today's game at home with top six garunteed, facing strugglers Kilmarnock. Iturn out be the most boring game I'm seen in years. It ended 0-0, thankfully both Aberdeen and Hearts dropped points as well.

Only one week of uni left, then only one exam in May, then that's me until resits in August. I'll really miss uni, I love learning and studying. I'm sure the summer will go past quickly. But I'm going to try and get some work experiemce or freelance work to fill the time anyway.

Justice for the 96

I spent most of Wednesday watching Liverpool FC TV, watching interviews with those who were at Hillsboruogh, and the family and friends of those who lost loved ones that day. The memorial service was lovely, the bravery of the likes of Trevor Hicks who lost two teenage daughters at Hillsborough. I always remember after Hillsborough a charity single was released and the video has the names of those who died running along the bottom, the names of Sarah and Victoria Hicks always stood out to me, partly because the were girls and it was still not that common for girls to go to football and partly because they were only a couple of year older than me. My thoughts are with the families of those who died at Hillsborough.

The other part of Wednesday I spent on several internet forums arguing with idiots who still peddle the lies that it was drunk, ticketless Liverpool fans who caused the crush at Hillsborough. Twenty years on and the families of those who died and those who survived have to suffer the indignity of being blamed for the tragedy. Even now some people still believe that Liverpool fans broke the gate open when the Taylor Report says it was opened on police orders. Survivors say the pens either side of the one where the crush happened were hardly used, because there was no proper stewarding to direct fans away from the overcrowded central pen. The thing that I still find most horrifying is the police reaction when people started to realise what was happening. Only one ambulance got in because the police were telling ambulances the couldn't go in as fans were fighting. But anyone could see there was no fighting, fans were helping each other try to survive. Police were ignoring cries for those trapped in those central pens, even trying to push some who had escaped back in. That one ambulance got in because after the police refused to let him in, he asked the chief ambulance officer who let him in. By that time some lower rank police officers were helping, others were ordered to form a line on the halfway line to prevent fighting between Liverpool and Forest fans! Unbelieveable. The Taylor Report says the reaction of the fans in helping each other, and making makeshift stretcher from advertising hoardings was 'magnificent'. When survivors were later questioned by police they were asked how much they'd had to drink, how much those who died had been drinking.

Then the cover up started 'Hillsborough: The Truth' claimed The Sun. They said fans had robbed the dead, fought with police trying to help and had urinated on the dead. It makes me feel sick that these lies were printed so god knows how those who'd lost someone, or those who had survived feel. Twenty years on and lies are still peddled by some.

The legal system has also failed these families. The coroner ruled that all fatal injuries had been received by 3:15 so no evidence was heard after this point but some families believe that their loved ones were still alive and had they received the proper medical treatment could have survived.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7998231.stm

No-one has ever been held accountable for Hillsborough. Not Sheffield Wednesday who's ground it was, not Sheffield City Council who knew the ground wasn't safe as they had refused to issue a safety certificate, not the FA who chose to host the semi-final or South Yorkshire police whose disorganisation outside led to the order to open the gates, they then didn't guide people to the side pens which had room, they then stopped ambulance getting, many didn't help the rescue effort. After the day CCTV was lost, notebooks lost, witness statements changed. And not one person was held accountable, the policeman in charge that day Supt David Duckinfield took early retirement and was given a full pension. Other officers were given compensation, though the families never have.

If you still think that drunk, ticketless Liverpool fans were to blame can I suggest you go here:

http://www.southyorks.police.uk/foi/publicationscheme/significantpublicinterest

Read the Taylor Report.

Justice for the 96.

Eureka

As the title suggests I had a eureka moment on the spec script I'm writing at the moment. It meant I had to get rid of one of my favourite characters but I'm sure she'll turn up some where else.

I'm officially on draft four, although technically its probably nearer thirty four. I have absolutely loved the rewrites, I feel like its getting and better, and I'm understanding my characters more and more.

Life's A Cabaret

I was lucky enough last week to see Cabaret at His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen. It was outstanding. Great acting, great singing and great dancing.

Special mention to 18 year-old Samantha Barks who plays Sally Bowles. Sam finished 3rd in the BBC show I'd Do Anything. At the time I thought Sam was over-rated, not any more. She excelled herself and gave a performance that showed a maturity far beyond her years. I expected her to be good at the song and dance numbers, but it was the portrayal of her relationship with Clifford that I loved. Her chemistry with Henry Luxemborg (serial killer Toby in Hollyoaks) who played Clifford was excellent. One of my favourite songs is 'Maybe This Time' and Sam knocked it out of the park on that one - my favourite rendition (and that includes Liza Minnelli). Sensational!

My only quibble with the show is Wayne Sleep as Emm Cee. He decent enough in the role but the rest of the cast are so outstanding he is overshadowed at times.

Top six

I'm a diehard Dundee United fan and this season looks like it could be our best in years. Craig Levein and team have done a fantastic job. This Saturday we play Hibs @ Tannadice at should we win we're garunteed a top six finish. But as united like to do things the hard way it'll probably be a draw!!

As Saturday is an early kick off I'll get home in time to listen to the rest of the day's football on the radio. If anyonr reading is a fan of Scottish football I highly recommend Radio Scotland's Open All Mics programme. It's a similar ides to Sky's Soccer Saturday but with more games, it's a bit hectic but usually pretty funny. You can catch it on the Radio Nan Gael frequency every Saturday @ 3pm.

Coursework, coursework and more coursework

Wow it been a few weeks since I last posted. Aberdeen were still in the Scottish cup, Manchester United were coasting towards the premiership title and the tartan army were trying to convince ourselves we could sneak something out of the Holland game!!

I've been drowing in a mountain of course work recently, entirely my own fault I left so much of it to do in the last few weeks. And although I'm really busy and life is a bit hectic I'm loving every single minute of it.

This semester I have had two of my favourite subjects so far Public Relations and Broadcast Journalism. I'm dying to get to every lecture and I'm loving all the coursework I'm doing. It all practical work and it really helps in seeing how the lecture apply in the real world.

Woo Woo!!

Congratulations to my big brother Scott, his wife Tash and my nephew Rory who have now been given permenance residency in New Zealand. They're absolutely loving over there so all the best to them.

And all the best to St Mirren for humping Celtic out of the Scottish cup. I may be an arab rather than a buddies but anything that upsets Gordon Strachan is fine by me!!

Feedback

On the screen writing front I sent my script to a script reader, the feedback was really constructive and I’m a lot more confident than I was before. The feedback told me what I was doing right, what could be improved and ways in which to do this.

I highly recommend the script reader I used Bang2write. The feedback was quickly delivered, well thought out and constructive. Also there is lots of advice at Lucy’s blog here.

Snowed In

Got up to go to uni today and found there was a blizzard outside. Decided not to go to uni in Aberdeen in case I didn't get back!

Had to laugh at the weather report on Radio 2; Scotland will be cold and damp! I know we're a bit hardier up here but a snow blizzard isn't cold and damp!!

Got my exam results today, I got a B, two C's, and an F. I expected the F!! I'm really annoyed at myself for getting a C in Media Law, I was 3% away from a B. Oh well will just have to try and get better marks this semester.

Working 9-5 what a way to make a living!

Back to work and uni tomorrow.

Looking forward to this semester. I'm studying web design, public relations, media production and broadcast journalism, there all right up my street, can't wait to get started.

I've finally finished my first script, I've sent it to a couple of my close friends to read and I'm going to send it to a script reader this week. Even if it never gets made I feel a real sense of accomplishment actually finishing it.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes!