I know she wanted to write because I have the creative writing course she bought for herself. I don’t remember my mum being grand or self indulgent — hatefully she knew her place — curse knowing your place — so if she splashed out on anything it must have been something she really wanted. So I can only conclude she really wanted to write. I can’t actually remember when this was, it could have been before she was sick or it could have been afterwards, but I’ve got the books and I’m going to stop writing and go and see if I can find a date.
Author
Licht An Life Bide Ain Eenoo!
‘Licht an life bide ain eenoo.’ The idea of this poetic line is that our present reality of our licht an life — of our hope and opportunity — that they abide in this moment. All opportunities ‘bide’ — live or dwell — in this very moment — and only in it — the future is the consequence of the present. It is in this ‘eenoo’ — this even now — this very moment — this is when we have our being. We can imagine the future – plan for the future – be prepared fae ait – but everything is present — all actions are present — aye fair ir foul. I’ve written these words not meaning the future is unimportant or that it doesn’t matter – but that the present is more important – the present set the course – the present moment directs us towards all future present moments. Mind tha day yer licht a life bide ain eenoo! So groundedly make it count!
A Bearna fae the Leid: Bridging the Linguistic Gap
In Irish, Barnish means a gap—a place you can travel along. When a local family collated their unique vocabulary into a small book thirty years ago, they unknowingly created a bearna for the Ulster Scots Leid. Exploring the link between land, language, and the "seismic" impact of seeing one's mother tongue in print, this article reflects on how a niche publication became a vital act of cultural preservation.
Owning the Words We Speak: Language as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
So what does a win look like? I don’t mean a fantasy win — six numbers on the lottery or a huge inheritance from an unknown relation. So again — what does a win look like in the context of language? A win is an improved understanding and acceptance of language, accompanied by a sympathetic … Continue reading Owning the Words We Speak: Language as a Bridge, Not a Barrier
The Week after Leid Week
I hate the week after Ulster Scots Leid week. It is so depressing. But it isn’t the low after the high. It’s the week that optimism and opportunity evaporates. Every year you get the feeling this could go somewhere quare and positive — but it never does. It’s like after Christmas — the decorations are … Continue reading The Week after Leid Week
The Creative Act of Presentation
Often, I merely describe my creativity as: “I make stuff.” This is simultaneously self-deprecating and true. I do make stuff - both in the physical and literary sense. I put words together to tell stories. I put lines and colours together to make pictures. I put images together to make films. And now I’ve put … Continue reading The Creative Act of Presentation
Strange and unexpected doors open
Thursday 3 April has suddenly become the biggest day of the year for me. A poetry reading in the historic Linen Hall Library (Belfast). Then that evening I make my musical debut - of my own songs! I actually enjoy public performances of book readings, spoken word shows, and poetry renditions, now I’m nervous and … Continue reading Strange and unexpected doors open
Imagination – a division no one seems to care about
A lot of my story making workshops are with children. So when I go into a school all I see is a class room of kids. They’re from all sorts of backgrounds - please insert your divisions of choice - then give your conscience a bit of a shake. But the biggest division I sees … Continue reading Imagination – a division no one seems to care about
New Year’s Day 2025
Don’t worry; this isn’t going to be a post about my New Year's resolutions, or my plans to conquer 2025, or pictures of me swimming in the sea. (This wouldn’t even be safe as it’s still dark and a storm warning is in place!) In fact, I don’t have any resolutions. Instead, I just want … Continue reading New Year’s Day 2025
Preservation: Renewal and Rebirth
Uncle Davy, my grandmother's brother, owned an old farmhouse in Moss-side. A unique place, but after his passing, it fell into disrepair. It was surely, destined for demolition, the bucket of a digger and a replacement dwelling. I’d great memories of it, the visits with my granny and granda: wading across the river, the animals, … Continue reading Preservation: Renewal and Rebirth
Featured
#Leid25 – Starting Now
This might just seem a wee bit early; as the year hasn’t turned; but I’ve started working on my main project for Leid Week 2025, (or perhaps before it). So far, I’ve: A wheen oo thoughts jotted doon. A few lines of prose, poetry an even lyrics. A wheen oo melodies worked oot. A few … Continue reading #Leid25 – Starting Now
Highland Dance Code Breaking
During WWII, a large group of soldiers from the Argyle and Sutherland Fusiliers were captured by the Germans. Whilst in their POW camp, and having some time to kill, they devised a new Highland dance reel. The dance setting was sent home but intercepted by the Germans. Then for the rest of the war, the Germans tried to crack the code, which they couldn’t, obviously.
Think even better! (80/20 + Eisenhower Matrix = ?)
Wednesday Recap #17 07.08.24 I’ve a lot of creative stuff knocking about that I have made and that I know is good. I’m not being pompous or delusional, I don’t think everything I do is good, most of my work has ended up filed in the trash, literally or electronically! The next biggest heap is … Continue reading Think even better! (80/20 + Eisenhower Matrix = ?)
Creative Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower / Priority Matrix is a very helpful mental model for creatives. Sometimes the most urgent and important task is letting our minds wander and dipping into every last thing that catches our attention. But once we’ve found something worth doing we need to focus on it. That is get it done!
Surviving the summer as a creative and parent.
Wednesday Recap #15 31.07.24 How do you Survive the Summer as a Creative (and a Parent) Let’s start with a definition. Flow state is when you completely focus on one activity, it completely captivates your attention so that your focus is solely on that one thing. This does not describe the summer holidays! Rather Go … Continue reading Surviving the summer as a creative and parent.
Keep Showing Up
Last Sunday morning I saw three deer on the top of the hill near where I live. If you live somewhere that deer live, that’s no big deal. If you live somewhere that deer aren’t supposed to live, then that’s pretty cool!
100 days of……
Wednesday Recap #14 17.07.24 I’ve started a #100DayChallenge on speaking and acting! My greatest creative joy comes from telling my stories. When you tell your stories yourself they are more than just the words you wrote. Normally words you wrote on your own, with no audience of listening ears, or seeing eyes! During this part … Continue reading 100 days of……
Old Ways on the New Web – people who believe in you.
I’m an old guy and can remember old style blogs, blogs with blog lists of other people’s blogs on the side bar. This was amazing for finding cool or interesting new stuff. No algorithm, no advertising, just personal unpaid endorsements, can you imagine a world like that!
When the process works – keep doing it!
…imagine a piece of ground that is really fertile, but it is really fertile because you have a structure for looking after it: feeding it, weeding it, draining it, watering it and a whole heap of other things you need to do to it. But then you assume the ground IS fertile rather than having been made fertile. You stop doing. You assume. You get on with other things. The residual fertility keeps it going for a while but then fertility of the ground quickly fades and you’ve no idea why!
Agent – Secret, Estate, Literary???
Wednesday Recap #12 26.06.24 When I think of an agent, I think of a secret agent: James Bond, George Smiley, Johnny English, you get the idea. Or less excitingly an estate agent. But the arts also have agents. So what is an agent? Or what does it mean? In Latin, where we get the word … Continue reading Agent – Secret, Estate, Literary???
No hacks, No gimmicks, No 10 point plans
Wednesday Recap #11 19.06.24 Every time I think I’ve found something new, I realise I’ve just rediscovered something old! And that’s what has happened, I’ve rediscovered the things that make me better. The elements of this rediscovery are simple, boring, uncomfortable and highly rewarding. So what are these mystical things? Hard cardio, weights (resistance training), … Continue reading No hacks, No gimmicks, No 10 point plans
The Metric Mentality
Wednesday Recap #9 12.06.24 Thought: the metric mentality I’d actually written a recap for last week but didn’t post it. Though I’m not sure why! Well I actually do, there were two reasons, the first was the big reason, while the second was the real reason. The big reason was an accidentally defrosted freezer. We … Continue reading The Metric Mentality
Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
I’ve started to create a flyer / livery for my #UlsterScots materials (books, poetry, spokenword, EDM, art). I wanted to record my progress and the evolution of the various ideas. The background is a skull (death), Bible (wisdom) and an hour glass (shortness of time / life) This kind of iconology is very common on … Continue reading Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
Nothing steals your time – you give it away
Wednesday Recap #7 29.05.24 Thought Hiking is tremendous fun. Well if you like walking up hills, crossing streams and rivers, trying to work out where you are, carrying everything you need, ringing the water out of your socks, and being on the go for nearly five hours. One of my happiest formative memories was going … Continue reading Nothing steals your time – you give it away
Foundations – unthought of but vital
Wednesday Recap #6 22.05.24 Thought Foundations are unseen, aesthetically ugly, and controlling of shape. But they are also vital, formative and give structural integrity! Foundations are vital for everything we do or hope to do. Foundations are easy to dig when we are building something. However foundations are amazingly difficult to rectify once built on. … Continue reading Foundations – unthought of but vital
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