lazy links

Due to a number of things, this week has been somewhat hellish, involving copious amounts of mate tea, essay writing for twelve hours straight several days in a row, a lot of nerves and a horrible meeting. 

BUT: it's over now, and has been rounded off with a lovely Thanksgiving dinner. Every year my good friend Sazzle from University Hall has organised a meal: this year it's grown from being around her upturned bed in hall to a table for forty in Madras Clubhouse. We drank good wine, made toasts, and then danced to a Spice Girls medley while the boys washed up! 

This weekend will be the first in weeks that I haven't spent in the library. Why hello, novels in coffee shops, vintage fairs and letter writing! 

Here are some nice things from the Internetz to celebrate. 

• A very enthusiastic drummer steals the show
• The best surfing video ever
• A pair of best friends, who happen to be 85 
• This was me on Wednesday night...
• Kind of wish I'd never seen this

the collaboration club

It was nice this week to have some of my wee films featured on a new project called The Collaboration Club. I've known one of the founders, Johanna, since living in University Hall together in first year, and she recently did a turn as a street style photographer for my section of Owl Eyes. 

One of the things I've come to appreciate about St Andrews is how easy and fulfilling it is to make things happen - whether a magazine, an event, a society, a project - and to collaborate and find support for various ventures. The Collaboration Club is a relaxed space for artists and creators of all kinds to share their work and inspire each other: ah, the wonders of the Internet. 

guy fawkes night at willow cottage

 

 

 

At University it's important to me to observe holidays and traditions, even if only in a smaller way than at home. At Hallowe'en, I carved pumpkins in ArtSoc's studio to put on my windowsill (my academic daughter Elsa's was the stuff of nightmares:)

So for Guy Fawkes night, with essay deadlines looming, my flatmate Angela and I took a brief break from studying to act like 5 year-olds and wave sparklers around outside.It's all about the little things.

rockpools and vitamin D

 

 

Last weekend I went home for my mum's birthday and a big family dinner at my Gran's. I was in sore need of a break from St Andrews: love it as I do, the frequency of these blog posts should give an idea of how busy it is at the moment. Sometimes the things you love (seeing your friends everywhere, being able to walk any place) turn into the things you hate and you just need to get out to avoid cabin fever!

The weather suddenly turned perfect and it was so good to wander around Gullane beach with my parents and soak up the last rays of warm sun this year. Peering into rock pools, looking at birds and receiving some very good advice was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. 

st andrews study break

 

 

Nothing better than a wander around Cathedral ruins for a Friday library break. 

sketching in the botanics

 

 

Right now I feel truly happy to be back in St Andrews as a fourth year. It's been insanely busy, but after three years of saying yes to everything (well, almost) and embracing new experiences, I finally feel like I kind of have my act together. This Sunday reminded me of so many reasons why I love St Andrews: where else could you walk ten minutes from the centre of town to beautiful a botanical garden filled with sun and an adorable local brass band? I've really enjoyed getting to know the ladies in the Art Society this year as Life Drawing Co-ordinator (yes, as with most things in St Andrews, the girls on the committee outnumber the boys 14:1...) We sketched, explored and soaked up the last rays of vitamin D we're likely to see until May. 

sunday links

1. Old men doing some unfathomable dancing.
2. What happens when you try to be completely honest. 
3. Disney and Dali get together. 
4. 33 tips on living from a 33 year old. 
5. These animals are all disappointed in you.

hydrangeas

 

 

I'm enjoying the last few weeks of real summer and the remaining blooms in the garden. 

the 5 most adorable children on the internet

1. A 3 year-old explains the plot of Star Wars. 
2. A sneaky mom eats all her sons' Halloween candy. 
3. Jessica feels good about her day. 
4. Another serious 3-year old explains leprechauns.
5. 5 year-old wants a job before marriage. 

marmion

 

 

 

Such dusky grandeur clothed the height
Where the huge castle holds its state
And all the steep slope down
Whose ridgy back heaves to the sky
Piled deep and massy, close and high,
Mine own romantic town!

At school the windows in my history classroom looked right out onto the crags and Edinburgh castle. My awesome teacher had pinned Walter Scott's poem above right next to it. That was the great thing about him, he was always setting up connections in our brains between history, poetry, theatre, art, so that eventually we'd come across a point in our own lives and go 'Ah. That's what he meant.' 

This week I started an internship at the European Parliament, right next to the Scottish Parliament building, and it struck me that the poem could be describing that landmark too. The building has been surrounded in controversy, partly because it exceeded its budget terribly, partly because many people just don't like it. 

Maybe it's having an architect for a father, but I love it. It seems to grow organically out of the volcanic rock of Arthur's Seat, utterly modern and yet somehow primordial at the same time. Isn't that just what a parliament should be? It eases itself into the landscape, so on sunny days the stone benches, nooks and crannies, grassy ledges and shallow pools are full of people relaxing and playing. It's both imposing and inviting, and that is no mean feat.