...and relaaaax!

Phew! It's all done and dusted now, printed off on fancy paper, burned onto discs and emailed to my course leader one day ahead of the deadline. I really am a mature student now. The course is divided into 3 units, PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc, so that's the first one done. Providing I haven't made a total mess of it (fingers crossed) I will be able to add PG Cert to the end of my name in a few weeks time. Better order in the new stationery now!

Findhorn and the Fairies

I was up at the Findhorn Foundation last week for the Opensource Videodance event, first time I've been up there and I expected it to be like Balamory meets Martha's Vineyard but I didn't realise how accurate that was. When I arrived and found my accommodation, a B&B called Rainbow Lodge, the doors were open with a sign saying 'Pick an empty room and make yourself at home'. Don't see that happening at the Euro Hostel in Glasgow. After picking my room I had a wee wander round the foundation. People live here because they want to live off the land and live a more ecologically sound lifestyle.



Every evening dinner is provided for those who need it and their guests. Before dinner everyone must hold hands and thank the Findhorn fairies for helping to provide the food and prepare the food. Then after dinner the same hand-holding and thanking ritual takes place to bless the washing up then afterwards to bless those who washed up (as well as the Findhorn fairies, of course).

Now, with all this living off the land, tolerance and blessing food going on you'd be forgiven that Findhorn is a very relaxing place where people live and let live, don't dictate to one another and are open to different lifestyles... well, you'd be wrong.

Every time you turn around there's another sign telling you what and what not to do. No showers after dark, no bathroom lights on at night, don't put too much water in the kettle, only use the bread at breakfast time, take your shoes off at the door, no radio (NO RADIO!!!), dinner is at 6pm, washing up is at 6.30pm, and on and on and on.

It's the most regimented, least free-thinking place I've ever been to in my life and I really resented being told when and how to thank people - I've been brought up well enough to thank people when they provide food for me, you don't need to remind me!

I wasn't too keen on the place but the course itself was fantastic. Lot's of in-depth, academic discourse about a subject I'm really interested in plus the opportunity to pick the brains of people doing really exciting things in the field, it couldn't have come at a better time.

My Future Mother-In-Law, Research Woes and a New Toy

After being informed by Alasdair that his mother wanted a word with me about a Christmas night out for the girls in the family I gave his mum a call and was greeted by, "Hi Susan, this is your future mother-in-law, how are you?". A bit of a shock for both of us! Me and Alasdair that is. Apparently his mum has it all mapped out for us.

I've spent the rest of the week winding Alasdair up about it almost being Christmas and how he better produce a decent rock and speak to my dad first or it's a no go. Obviously I'm joking but it's got to a point where he's not sure which is always fun.

Apart from that, this week I've been struggling uni-wise. Struggling to determine exactly what it is I'm researching at uni. Initially I came up with the idea of anonymity giving people freedom but since discovering that all my research is anecdotal (not ideal for a Masters) I have decided to approach the course from a much more practical viewpoint. Since leaving uni (the first time round) 6 years ago I have worked on a project to project basis, making live dance and dance films just because I'm interested in them. They've always been inspired by music and a vision I've had for an end project but now that I'm having to create things from a research perspective I've been struggling. This week I've decided to tackle my course from a practical point of view, taking on lots of mini projects in order to experiment with a notion of the camera being another dancer, showing the viewer what a dancer sees, giving an 'inside view' of the movement. As a result I'm feeling a lot more positive about the whole thing and can't wait to get going with lots of practical work.

Finally a huge thank you to my parents who made Christmas come early today by giving me a MacBook. I can't wait to get going on my uni work now... as soon as I can tear myself away from t'interweb!