It’s been three months since my last update – and a lot has changed since then.  I am now living in Glasgow completing a Masters of Literature in Creative Writing.  This involves getting through a reading list each week (which has been a little difficult for me since by nature I read sporadically), and then writing an experimental piece using one of the techniques on the set book for the week.  It also involves reading and critiquing my fellow students’ work during tutored workshops, and at some point submitting my own work to be critiqued.  In December I submit a portfolio of writing, and four editing and publication-related exercises to be assessed.  Then I start on Semester two.

The move to Glasgow was actually a big relief.  I hadn’t noticed it a great deal whilst there but, lovely as it was, our flat in Edinburgh was a little cave – really not getting much light in any direction.  Not to mention the damp problem for which the carpet in our bedroom had to be removed to deal with!  This flat has lovely high ceilings and big windows, catching lots of light, and on top of that we live on top of a farm foods shop, so the heat from there heats our flat!  Who could ask for more???!  To be fair, the appliances in the flat are quite dodgy at times, but our landlady is really good when it comes to checking them out and replacing them, so that’s not really a downside.

As for the course itself – I’m still struggling a little to make friends as I find the stepping-round-each-other-on-eggshells bit difficult.  This is one of the things I love about acting.  You are thrown together with like-minded people, and you have very little time and a great need to become close quickly – it bypasses all that awkward first stage out of necessity.  But one excellent example of friend-making occurred last Tuesday.  After our seminar, the facilitator invited the class down to the pub.  I don’t fair well in pubs, as I can’t drink and don’t much like close crowds, so I decided to go back home.  And I joined forced with the only other two people heading in the opposite direction from the main crowd!  Both of them found social interaction somewhat difficult, so when we found that in common, paradoxically we all relaxed!

I also have a new obsession – it is the TV show ‘Due South’.  This is a dramedy (drama with elements of comedy) that comprises four series (sometimes called three as the fourth season is sometimes thought of as a spinoff season), and a total of about 70 episodes.  It is about a Mountie called Benton Fraser, who lives in the Northwest Territories, Canada.  When his father, Bob Fraser (also a Mountie of legendary skill and repute) is killed, he takes a position in Chicago to pursue the killer and bring him to justice.  But Fraser has only ever been in a big city once, and couldn’t cope and had to return home.  He has phenomenal tracking abilities from his time in the territories, incredible skills of observation and deduction, but is absolutely clueless with people, especially urban-dwellers.  He is also extremely naïve, polite and peaceable to fault, streetwise, utterly believing that most people are good and want to help, unable to lie, extremely rigorous not only about the law but about honour and manners, and he takes things very literally.  He also has a deaf wolf called Diefenbaker, who pulled him out of a mine, saving his life, whilst in the territories, and Dief comes with Fraser to Chicago. 

The detective assigned to Fraser’s case is detective Raymond Vecchio of the Chicago police force, and whilst initially they are complete opposites (Ray is impatient, loud, brash and streetwise, but at the same time a highly skilled detective), over time they become the best of friends – to the point that Ray basically makes Fraser his whole life.  For example, he will think nothing of dashing headlong into a shop with fully armed robbers (or even just a shop in which trouble might be occurring) on his day off if Fraser is in there and might be in danger.  And when Fraser is shot or beaten up and has to spend time in hospital he will spend all the time he can by his bedside.   And when a girl who Fraser becomes involved with has to stay over at his house (because she is in danger), he takes her into his house, not because he like her (he really doesn’t), but because it means something to Fraser (he warns her ‘Hurt him and I’ll kill you’).  Eventually Ray gets an assignment to go deep under cover with the mob, and Fraser ends up working with a man called Stanley Raymond Kowalski, who is covering for Ray (who has to go by the name Raymond Vecchio to protect the real Raymond Vecchio’s identity).  Again they develop a strong friendship, but this time the statuses are changed.  This Ray (known to fans as Ray K) seems to have nonspecific learning difficulties which several people have likened to ADHD or dyslexia.   He even wears blue-tinted lenses in some lights.  But he too is an extremely good detective and member of the Chicago police. 

I should point out here that these nonspecific learning difficulties, and most other sensitive issues in the show, are dealt with sensitively, not dwelled on and are not integral to the stories, so are never exploited in my opinion.  Eventually, Fraser becomes progressively homesick for the Northwest territories, returning there at the finale of the final series (also including a brief return of the real Ray Vecchio – or Ray V, as he is know to fans).

Although Ray V is my favourite character for the lengths he will go to for the sake of Fraser, the character I can identify with most, I think, is Benton Fraser.  I came down from a rural area into Edinburgh, and, as he says, it was like I was from a different planet, which I have now come to accept.  And someday, like Fraser, I hope to return up there, but not just yet.  As Fraser said, I think I still have something to give down here.  And like Fraser, I was partly home educated (due to having to avoid infections at school as a result of the MSUD), and like Fraser, I grew up with VERY snowy winters.  And also like Fraser I take things very literally and have strong principles.  But I am not nearly as polite as him!!  But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  After all, one can identify with a person, but I always try to make sure I never imitate or try and turn into anyone involved in my obsessions.  Trying to emulate somebody in your everyday life is not a good idea in my opinion, because you will never do as good a job as you would like to.  It is much better to develop your own personality and principles into something you can be proud of, because nobody will ever play that personality as well as you play it.  And, after all, your body and your mind are the only ones you have to control.  At least, that is my philosophy – I would never want to get accidentally preachy.

Finally, one little note concerning Maple syrup urine disease.  I have no idea how to go about this, despite having experience from FSDC and other organisations.  But I feel there should be a worldwide Maple Syrup Urine Disease awareness day.  The reason I feel this is that there is such a simple warning sign for MSUD that occurs very early on and is very distinctive.  Smell a wet nappy.  If it smells sweet, fruity, like burned curry, like burned sugar or like maple syrup…get a branched chain amino acid test done.  Do whatever it takes – get as many opinions as you need, even if the baby seems well.  Because although Maple Syrup Urine Disease is not the only disease that causes sweet smelling urine, if it IS the cause then the situation can go downhill very quickly, and if you decide not to pursue treatment, it can and will lead to permanent damage and death.