2 weeks down, and life to go.

Hello,

So after a less than perfect two weeks of life in Bonnie Scotland, I think I can say life has hit a bit of a rhythm; the days of riding a strange rollercoaster of anxiety seem to be over for now. I have been entertaining myself for hours on end after working hours, always making elaborate dinners for one and reading endless newsprint and stories.

Running I imagine there will be couch surfers on my wee leather couches in the coming weeks now that I have myself arranged, and finally I'll be able to entertain again allowing those with heavy bags and weary heads to relax while far away from home. I finally managed to get a wireless connection for my flat, and can now actually attend to personal affairs on the internet. I had not realized how reliant my life had become on the internet, perhaps mostly in staying connected to news from around the world.

I also do not want to ever remember life without YouTube. Strange. I like finding crazy songs that I haven't heard for years and playing them over breakfast. Here's a beauty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqrKejQTynk&feature=related Gadget iPhone is out of commision for at least 4 months, however, which is a bit of a let down. Oh, how I love that little app box.

10 days of rain and wind has made way for sun and wind. The days have been quite lovely this week actually, and I have found myself out of the newsroom reporting on stories under the sunshine and on the streets every day this week. Funny, every Scot wants to hear my life story when they here my quite foreign 'Canadia' accent. I just try to roll like a professional when on the phone or in interviews, which is pretty much all the time from 9-5.

I've ended up working for two newspapers in Glasgow which has been quite interesting. The first, which I actually came to Glasgow to write for is one of the oldest continually printed daily newspapers in the world, and is a proper broadsheet publication, lined with political commentary and pointed op-eds. This centre/left-wing publication would be the Herald, which has been around since, oh, 1783. http://www.theherald.co.uk/

The second, in stark contrast is a tabloid printed on tabloid. The Evening Times comes out twice a day with different covers and content. So, for those keeping track, that's three deadlines per day. They sell this 45p gem on the street and give away free cans of Irn-Bru with it. Glasgow has like 20 daily newspapers, mostly these little tabloid hotcakes which fly off the shelves.

While I enjoy reporting the stories and writing outragously cheesy lines, dealing with the content becomes quite the personal struggle. I quite enjoy being sent out on the street to ask people about what designer they are wearing, or what their opinion is on the topic of the day for "Vox-pops," wee one liner quotes and photos on the features section. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/ Needless to say, adapting my writing style while working on 4 or 5 new stories a day is quite the challenge, but a good one at that.

Funny thing is, when reading the newspaper again over dinner at night, I always forget what I have worked on the day prior, often laughing when seeing my byline in several sections in two papers spread out on my coffeetable. Life is funny. Work leaves me shattered at the end of the day (err, tired), and tonight I need a little leasure time. Midnight photography adventure perhaps? May need the walk before crazy Friday, where we are in production for three, yes three, days of newspaper not just one.

So, in production on Friday we have, 1-Friday's two editions of the Evening Times, sold mostly to commuters about the city. 2-Saturday/Weekend edition of the Etimes. 3- Saturday Herald, Sunday Herald, and ohh, right, since most have Sunday off, we also do all three Monday editions as well. AHH! Life just gets started at 4:45 on a Friday.

All the best to you, yes you.

-Daniel C.