Ed's World/Chip's World

Support for McCain

If there was ever a reason NOT to vote for McCain. Here is a man who says he'd vote for McCain, who calls McCain his friend and yet, he is the very man who kept McCain a prisoner during the Vietnam war. Tran Trong Duyet "says" he never tortured McCain and that McCain lies to the American people to get votes. So, either Tran Trong Duyet is lying or McCain is. If Tran Trong Duyet is still willing to vote for McCain knowing he lies to the people, particular a man who ran a prison camp and is relatively high up in a government who fiendishly abuses it's own people - so in some regard Tran Trong Duyet is complicit.

Celebrating Solstice

Having lived here in Scotland for six years, it seems every year we seem to get to the other side of the Summer Solstice without having made much notice of the longest day of the year, which seems odd coming from a sun worshiper like me. Anyway, this year Clarice was determined to do something. So plans were put into effect to go camping and enjoy the last remnants of sunlight in the wilds of Scotland.

Clarice's friend Andrew has a car so transportation was provided. We have 2 tents and a number of other "camping" utensils so that part was taken care of. Clarice requested hot dogs for our festive dinner which resulted in Eddie travelling 'cross town to ASDA (Walmart in Scotland) to get some. She also picked up some root beer (a uniquely American soda), Hersey's chocolate and marshmallows for "somores" - an American camping delicacy (we still had some graham crackers left from our last trip to the US). Toss in a map and we were ready.

Both Clarice and Andrew were working on Saturday so we didn't actually get on the road until 5:30pm - and it also hit us that 2008 is a leap year so our late start was actually already a day late. But, undaunted, we headed out.

The weather report for the weekend was rain Saturday evening with heavy rain coming at 4am Sunday with rain most of that day. The front was coming in from the south west, so likely to be very wet - but this also meant that the Northern most of the island might escape the rain until late on Sunday.

Since Eddie and I prefer to sit together, Clarice road shotgun and took charge of the map. She set the course across the forth road bridge and north. Andrew is familiar with crossing the bridge, so we didn't have any problems getting out of the city. However, at Perth the highway splits into one headed to Inverness (due North) and another one that heads to Dundee and Aberdeen (East Coast). Clarice didn't get the note Andrew in time so we ended up heading to Dundee by mistake.

No problem, there are plenty of A roads (smaller, two lane road that are, in Scottish terms, major roads, but for US drivers these aren't even moderate sized state highways) to choose from to get us back to the right M road (motorway, like a US Interstate). After several attempts at getting us back on track, and many winding roads later, the time had slipped away and we ended up in deciding we should just find a place to stop. The rain had already started, light but enough to let us know if we didn't get camp set soon we would get very wet.

Eventually, at about 9:30 we wound up near Loch Tay and the Tay Forest Park, just outside of Aberfeldy. The spot was lovely, covered by a number of trees with lots of ferns for tent padding. Andrew also brought another tent so we had something to use as a cover for cooking and eating - to keep us from getting too soaked before bedtime. Andrew also found a bunch of dry wood (which amazed me as most of the forest was fairly soaked by this point) so the fire was lovely - and dinner, hot dogs, vegi's and crisps, was lovely. The graham crackers were crunched at some point, so the somores ended up in pieces - not necessarily easy to eat without getting marshmallow goo all over our fingers. But that's what camping's all about, isn't it?

After dinner we realised it was nearing midnight. I hadn't really notice the change in light as the dark clouds obscured the sun earlier, so by the time we were setting up camp it was pretty dark.

What with the rain and cold it was necessary to take care of some bodily functions before heading to bed. We were in a forest, so lots of trees. But we ended up with only two pin light torches (flashlights), so toilet runs were done in shifts. Although Clarice brought her toothbrush, she told us she was out of toothpaste - and so we summarily forgot to bring ours. Oh well, it would have just ruined the taste of chocolate and marshmallow anyway.

Finally snug in our respective beds/sleeping bags the sky decided to open up and let loose a rain that would have made Noah wonder. The rain fell on our nylon tents for at least a solid hour - until the sound became so continuous it was like falling asleep to white noise.

At approximately 4am, nature called again. Wisely, Eddie had brought along slippers so she wouldn't have to put her wet shoes back on for a trip outside the tent. However, anything in our tent that touched the side walls allowed the rain water to flow in. Her slippers, along with the bottom edge of our comforter and the top edge of our pillows were all items that were playing conduit to the rain. Eddie had to wring out the slippers before she could even put them on. I was more fortunate. My shoes were right outside the tent and so I just had to turn them over to empty the majority of the water in them.

Once we'd returned, we realised getting back under the covers (remember, they are wet around the edges) was a bit more of a challenge than we'd expected. If Eddie found herself safely avoiding any wet spots, I would not be so lucky. If I then adjusted so I was no longer feeling anything cold and damp, these adjustments would pull the covers in such a way that Eddie was forced to deal with effects of the weather. For the remaining four hours we jostled and squirmed our way though the night.

Clarice was due to work in Edinburgh at 2pm, so we had to get up and start heading back by 9am. There was a plan to cook bacon for bacon rolls (a typical Scottish delicacy) but it was still raining slightly and no one seems to have had a real decent night's sleep. So, we packed up - attempting to take a much of the damp forest floor with us as possible.

Once in the car and the heater on, the damp clothing played havoc with the windows, fogging them as well as the dash board. Clarice requested we find a bathroom so she would wash up and use the hand dryer for her hair (and clothes). But, rather than head back the way we came, we opted to go down the length of Loch Tay down to the falls of Dochter (where were pretty amazing) and then more A roads across to Dunfermline, which means we found lots of small towns, but nothing with a service station or open store.

However, Dunfermline is large enough to have a Primark (great discount clothing store… which Edinburgh has yet to achieve…. ) as well as a centre of town with a McDonalds and a Greg's (Scottish Fast food - sausage and bacon rolls). We found a parking spot and noticed there didn't seem to be any water on the streets. It seems the rain hadn't yet arrived to Dunfermline yet. Hmmmm…. However, once we were out of the car, it did. We walked into a mall under reconstruction. Unfortunately, while the bathrooms were functional, the hand dryers were not. The urge to have a bacon roll was still really strong, but so was the desire for a bathroom with hand heaters. So, rather than eat breakfast at Greg's, we opted for lunch at McDonald's - it was just passed 11 o'clock by this point.

After a nice "brunch" and liberal use of the hand dryers we climbed back in the car, back across the bridge and home. Clarice was home in time to have a nice shower (clean off the smell of smoke) and get to work. Eddie and I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging up the tents on the clothesline and the bedding on any available door. Then we settled down next to the fire to read our books and enjoy the smell of wet dog.

The rain did eventually get to Edinburgh - Sunday evening, which washed of the remaining bits of the forest that hadn't been rubbed off in Andrew's car.

And so, we did celebrate the Summer Solstice. Perhaps it was a day late and a bit wet, but it was certainly memorable!

Tagged

Tagged by Rob:

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.


I am late responding to this meme - sorry Rob... somehow June has gotten away with me! (Note: I was given an iPod for my birthday in Feb and so I have been listening to individual songs more than entire albums for the first time in my life... haven't yet made up my mind on this type of listening.  Some people you just really have to listen to the album as a whole!)

1. Crazy Island by John Mellencamp - The first words of this song are 'Hey, hey America, you're some kind of crazy island' and it really speaks to me - culturally and politically.  Also... I discovered, about 3 weeks ago that it makes a great ring-tone for me - on a crowded bus in Edinburgh!!
2. Anti-Christ Television Blues by Arcade Fire - These guys are visionary, and this song just really gets under the skin.  My son Aric has just graduated seminary - I know he would never fall into this type of self-centered 'ministry'! Check out the female backing vocals... screechy, nasally and totally evocative!!
3. Neon Bible by Arcade Fire - From the album of that name... this song has all the elements of 'arty' disaster - electronic noise opening that resolves to a single frequency that holds the pedal note through the whole piece, creepy understated and monotonous singing, short and repetitive lyrics scheme, non resolving bass line that just thumps along, the only 'build' in the song comes from more intensity in the vocals, and simple key changes and the entire song is only 2.16" long.  Somehow it all works.  The more you listen the more you want to listen.  First time I listened I thought it was the worst song on the album.. now it is my favorite!
4. The Plank by Devil Makes Three - These guys are a folk group I discovered on KPIG a totally amazing radio station out of my home territory in California.  I have two of their albums now and truthfully I like all the songs... but having aspirations to Pirate-hood, the Plank is special to me!
5. What It Is by Mark Knopfler - An paean to Edinburgh Saturday nights.  'The drinking dens are spilling out they're staggering in the square' this appeals to my romantic view of this city that, like Stevenson, has not been eliminated by the fact of it being my home.
6. The Poon Tango by Mondo Heptet - Oh yes! They did go there!  These guys are fine musicians that skirt the edges of parody.  I can never quite decide if they are serious or not!  Whatever - it is fun music, masterfully played.
7. Jarad's Lament by Chip Clark - This is the tenor's lament from the opening of the opera Chip and I are writing together.  Along with 'I'm Bored', 'Boredom is Trouble' and 'I am Clotho' this song has been stuck in my head for months!  Time for us to get on and write new stuff!

Okay that's my seven I tag Aric, Callee, Miki, Heather, Shay, Stacia, and Clarice.

Words, gotta love 'em

Eddie and I were talking with the student living with us - she's from Catalan - during dinner the other night (we were eating fish).  We discovered Spanish has a different word for human bones as opposed to fish bones.   Bones (for humans or chickens) is hueso, but for a fish it is espina which also means "to prick" or "thorn" - which is rather what fish bones do/are during a meal. 

Another event happened the other day while reading a good book - the word Parleyment, which obviously means Parliament, which extends the meaning.  Parliament is a house of law or conference for public affairs, where as Parley, to talk, discuss, confer.  If you've ever seen the British Parliament, they do a lot of discussion... not sure how effective they are at the law portion - but then again, I'm not sure the US version isn't a bit too effective. 

An interesting note about the US Congress - the word Congress comes from the 14th century meaning a body of attendants.  So, you'd think they were in some degree there to follow the wishes of their constituents.  Not sure they understand that meaning of the word.   In the 18th century (at the time of our constitution) the word also took on the meaning of sexual intercourse.  You might say Congress is f***ing about with the country - and you wouldn't be far off.

Then there is this comic which is a great take on polical speak.

In the kitchen

For those of you who don't know, Eddie has been made redundant at her work which means she is home every evening now.  She's home during the days too, but she was before.  Now that she's not trapsing off to work 4 nights a week I get to enjoy her company.

The few weeks leading up to the concert she also did a majority of the cooking - which I very much appreciated (mostly because she's a better cook - but also because it allowed me to focus on getting the rehearsals done and really paying attention to the music). 

Ok - concert's over (look at http://interchangingidioms.blogspot.com for more details about how that went) - and no reason for her to continue doing all the cooking.  So, I've taken my hand at preparing a few meals.  Meal loaf on Monday was a success.  Fish last night wasn't bad, but the house smelled like fish until well after bedtime (not pleasant). 

And then there is this, which isn't really what happens when I cook - but indicative of how I feel things are going when I cook.  

Dealing with the death penalty

A man in Texas didn't get executed today.  It seems there were a number of procedures that needed to be done in order to make sure the man could be executed properly and they couldn't be carried out in time, so the lethal injection wasn't done and the man is still on death row. 

I read this article and wondered about the people who spent most of yesterday attempting to kill this man.  What are they thinking as the process the paperwork?  Do they think about the person, or is it just another form to fill out, another task in the day to day job? 

The man has been on death row for 20 years for a double murder.  I am not trying to excuse what he did (although he claims to be innocent and I wasn't at the trial so I can't say whether he is guilty or not).  But I do wonder at a people who can live by the "eye for an eye" philosophy - to kill someone (and the death penalty is still killing someone - no matter how you phrase it legally) because they have killed someone - to feel we have the authority to take the life from someone.

It also amazes me that many of the same people who are in favour of the death penalty are against abortion in any fashion.  But I suppose I could be said to be just confused because I am opposed to the death penalty, but in favour of abortion ... but not really.  I think abortion is abhorant, but I don't believe you can legislate morality.  Based on that, I don't think states (or countries) that allow the death penalty should be penalised for believing what they are doing is correct.  I am just saying I could not. 

I could not do a job that would require me to particpate in any fashion with the death of someone. 
I would hold the hand of someone who opted to have an abortion, while they're having one - if my support of them would help them through - but they would know how I feel about the abortion and certainly have received numerous other options before I took their hand.  Having said that, I suppose I would hold the hand of the person signing the death warrant if they asked me to... but again, they would be well aware of my feelings on their decision. 

Well... We Did It!

The concert was Wednesday, and while not the resounding success we may have hoped for in terms of audience size - it was an amazing evening and the music was, for the most part, well received.  We were reviewed by the Scotsman (the major Edinburgh paper) and it was not-so-good... but we are philosophical about these things.  A review is, after all, only one person's opinion.

And.. the comments we have had from friends and strangers alike seem to put the lie to the reviewer... for an idea of what we've been hearing for two days check out the comments by Derek on Interchanging Idioms here.

All in all - we are extremely exhausted, proud, awed, relieved and excited about our next project.  Trademark Clark reaction to the ending of an event - Well... We did it - time to eat, drink and be merry!

We'll be on a well deserved vacation now until the 15th