OFF THE GRID... AGAIN

i'm not sure if any one still checks this...

2009-04-27T20:36:00.002+01:00

but here goes. It's been well over a year since my last post. Lots happened, most (if any) who read this will already know my life story so nae need to post the details. On Rum again doing some work with Sandy (building houses and extensions) while I wait to hear about the funding situation in New York. Just got in from a wee canoe adventure around the bay... the fish aren't biting. Off to play Risk with mates and call it an early night as work starts tomorrow.

still laughing

2007-11-10T18:04:00.000Z

Saturday night, 6pm and it's been incredibly dark for well over an hour now. Forgot how quickly the night creeps up on you over here... or, more accurately, up here. Just got back from a long walk outside Musselburgh and into Dalkieth forest. Life's been moving incredibly quickly as of late and I felt the need to stop and take stock.

Didn't come to any profound conclusions and life altering decisions, in fact I don't think anything came of my wanderings, but the walk itself was nice. It also served to stretch out a rather painful calf injury I incured while out running Wednesday. Actually the real painful bit occured after the run in the shower while I was stretching it - felt something shift. (this was about 3 hrs before I was to go out on a wee pub crawl involving a brief stop at the smallest pub in Edinburgh located conviently off the longest set of stairs in Edinburgh).

So... what's new? Lots. First, I am finally a Visiting Lecturer at Queen Margaret University. For the moment I'm more of a psychology support staff, running stats labs and providing some support for student dissertations (to come), but next semester I am actually teaching the evolutionary psychology module... which is uber sweet. The campus is brand spanking new and comes complete with all the hassle and confusion surrounding new buildings and the move from the previous location. That's why it took almost a month for me to finally get on board. But now I have my own desk, pc, phone, and shelving units to place all the books I'll never read. Going to the staff christmas party on Dec 5th. Lol. Everyone is super nice, and I'm looking forward to good conversations over coffee (which I still can't drink). All this and the campus is a 8 minute walk from George and Yvonnes.

Second. I'm staying in Edinburgh until the new year. For various reasons, financial and personal, it makes much more sense to stay put for the moment, and then move to Stirling when I come back from Canada in January. Met a mate, Brian, through Jack and plan to move in with him. Last Friday (wow, seems like ages ago) he and I met up in Glasgow for a concert; The National. It was a mint show. Afterwards I was toying with the idea of going with him to Stirling for a party, but decided to be responsible and get the last train home to Edinburgh. Best decision ever, and brings me to the third new thing.

Usually on the train I stick my headphones in and let the likes of Judas Priest, Mudvanye or Morphine entertain me. However, there was some good banter going on around the train. It was packed with drunk people (myself included) and laughter. Had some random conversations with two guys who just saw the Verve, a couple of older ladies who were passing around a bottle of wine and hugs, and two friends (Kirsty and Allen) that also saw the National. As it turns out, Kirsty is good friends with Chainsaw Dave who currently resides on Rum. It's a small world indeed. Anyhow, after that bit of info came out the three of us decided to go to another gig in Edinburgh and eventually I got home at 4:30 in the morning. Told you I was responsible ;)

Been out with Kirsty several times since, also till obscene hours (got in a half six this morning) and really seem to hit it off with her. Started last night with George and Chris for a chinese dinner, then Garreth joined us at a local pub for some pool (I reigned sumpreme and left undefeated to meet up with Kirsty and her friends in the city). Great time. At 4:30am we were playing amongst the leafs in an ancient graveyward somewhere along Princes St at the bottom of Edinburgh Castle. Not rushing things and there are no labels attached; it's just incredibly nice to meet someone that I get along with under such random and uncharacteristic circumstances. Watching a movie with her tonight.

Long and short? I've had a big, goofy, Canadian grin on my face and a spring in my step all week.

landing on my feet

2007-10-03T17:50:00.000+01:00

Had an interesting last few days. Got an email from the Head of the Psychology department at Queen Margarets Uni asking if I'd be interested in applying for a Visiting Lecturer post (covering maternity leave this semester). Ummm... yes please.

This morning I walked to the campus, as it's literally 5 minutes away, and had an 'informal chat' with two psych lecturers while standing in a parking lot. Why the car park? Well the campus isn't finished and it was technically illegal for me to be on the premise, and the student run pub wasn't opened yet. I actually prefered the outdoor setting - fresh air kept me sharp. As it turns out it wasn't so much as an interview but an outright offering.

As for my resposibilities? I would provide support for first and second years with stats and research methods courses. I have no idea what the hours and the pay are, and don't care (to be worked out later this week). The coolest thing is that come next semester there is an evo psych module running and it was hinted that I may be able to get more involved in that. For my first academic interview I must say it went well. No nerves, just genuine excitment. My CV was 'impressive', which was really nice to hear, and they seemed keen to get me onboard (suggsting various other courses I could assist with). Just when I thought my training was useless...

Sometimes I can't help but sit back and laugh.

2007-10-01T10:36:00.000+01:00

quick update for anyone who still bothers reading this...

Went to Liverpool for a few days last week. Said goodbye to Robin (moving to Oxford) and hit up the Cavern Club with some friends, which is always a good night out. Back in Edinburgh now and getting ready for my National Insurance number interview somewhere in the city this afternoon. (don't worry, I'll find the place).

Got some disappointing news on the weekend - without formal training in philosophy (ie another Masters) the Philosophy department at Stirling won't take me on as a PhD student. This was to been expected. However, I am travelling to St. Andrews some time next week to meet another interested professor and discuss ideas. Hopefully this pans out...

George has been kind enough to give me a weeks work starting on Wednesday. Mad hours (10-11/day) but good pay.

back in Scotland

2007-09-19T10:33:00.000+01:00

Alright... so the MSc foray is over. Handed in the dissertation on Friday, went to the pub, recovered on Monday. As you do. Final thoughts? Well worth it. Strong friendships, good contacts, feel mildly more edumacated, ready for the next step.

Which of course begs the question. Unfortunately I don't have concrete answers at this point. I am back in Musselburgh, staying with George and Yvonne (and Chris) for the time being while I sort out CVs, National Insurance numbers and various other incidentals that creep up when you're a foreign national seeking working in this bureaucratic nightmare of a country.

Yesterday I started by asking myself what I wanted from this coming year. First on paper was the 'recapture the feeling I had while on Rum (minus Annie)'; the intense feeling of being alive that comes with outdoor activity. I was happiest in that position. As I searched through mountains of office job postings, library positions, soft drink salespeople blah blah blah, I realized two things. One, if I had an engineering degree I would be making well over £50 000 this year. Two, Rum is an odd place, and it is unlikely that a lowland city could substitute for the island experience.

Now, many of you might be thinking 'Ian's lost the plot and heading back to Rum.' I can assure you this is not the case. Instead, I've done what any sensible individual would do and applied for a job in a even more remote part of Scotland... Stornoway on Lewis (a proper Hebridean isle). The position is with a mink eradication program that SNH is running in the outer isles (for a conservation organization SNH sure loves to kill off mammals in abundance). From what info I have it involves walking 10-20km a day and doing something with mink (collecting bodies?). Don't really care. It's a 5.5 month post running from Nov 17 to Mar 28th and pays about £14 000. I figure it's a sound way to recharge my batteries and pay off my student debt. So here's hoping.

Of course the job on Stornoway is far from a sure thing, despite my previous dealings with SNH, so I still plan to move to Stirling and find something to keep me busy. I'm also eagerly waiting feedback on several of my ideas from a philosophy prof at Stirling Uni, which could weigh heavily on my plans for the next several years (been several weeks now, dammit!)

that's all folks.

the tentative plan

2007-08-10T08:47:00.001+01:00

Stirling... heading there in September to look for a job while I sort out PhD and funding issues. I've always loved Scotland and it's high time I do what I want to do. Stirling is a beautiful place and in the ideal location - close to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands. Quality.

I've heard back from some of the profs I contacted last week, and things look encouraging. Later today I'm having a phone conversation with someone at St. Andrews (who co-authors papers with Noam Chomsky on the evolution of language) regarding potential projects next year. Also, someone in the Philosophy department at Stirling Uni is interested in reading my theory in order to decided whether or not I could enter the PhD in Philosophy program without any formal philosophical training. Need to put a rush on that one as a copy must go to yet another individual at St. Andrews as well (who specializes in Niche Construction theory).

Project is coming along fine. Got my control group data yesterday. Only thing is I'm not too sure how to analyze my data set. Time to visit Robin. Next week I'm heading to Edinburgh for a few days to hit the festival with George and Yvonne. It also gives me an opportunity to start carting some of the junk I've amassed out of Liverpool and up north.

I'm doing well. Thanks to those who have sent emails and what not... it's always nice to hear from friends and family, and know that one is not alone despite being thousands of kilometres away.

A slight de-railment

2007-08-04T00:12:00.000+01:00

Annie and I are finished.

I could go on about being in different places and wanting different things but the long and the short is that Annie was having doubts, and after some fierce introspection I agree. I loved her deeply, more than anyone else so far, but that in itself doesn't make it 'right'. Our interests were diverging. We ended things amicably, finishing off with a trip to the cinema to watch the latest installment of Harry Potter. I may see her in September as she always did promise to show me Hadrians Wall. Until then it's best to stay out of touch if we're to finish our respective projects in relative mental harmony.

I'm ok. It was rough couple of days (happened Wednesday, we talked about it since Sunday) but my mates here have been top notch. I was never one to lean on people in times of personal hardship, but now I see the folly of my previous ways... it makes all the difference in the world. A big shout goes out to Dave and Jack, always willing for a pint at the AJ on campus and some conversation. I'm using this newly 'awarded' free time to pursue my own interests - aikido lessons at the athletic complex, running, lots of walks, spending time with coursemates, Blogging, dusting off my alternative account of evolutionary theory and boning up on scientific realism. My project is coming along well too. I just need my control group and I can start making comparisons. I intend to start writing the methods and intro on Monday (giving myself a break for the weekend).

What this means is I am no longer going to Aberdeen to brave the elements and collect my thoughts while she starts her PhD. I'm quite all right with this. Aberdeen was not my first choice and there were few prospects for my academic interests up there. I haven't a clue what I'm going to do now though. Toying with the idea of returning to Canada but then I'll just have to turn around and come back in December for graduation. Earlier tonight I was scanning some uni pages (Stirling and St. Andrews) and emailing various professors with inquires. If I stay I'll have to jump through some flaming hoops to get the VISA sorted, but it shouldn't be too bad. Life goes on and time will tell. It is a bit late though. Maybe I can get my profs to pull a few strings.

My buddy Nick is in Munich at the end of the month and trying to convince me to come visit for a couple of days... and I'm tempted (I even have some German language software hidden on my pc somewhere). Friends, beer, sausages and incredibly fit German women. Who could say no to that? Have to check the finances first. And make sure I have a proper handle on my dissertation.
well... i'm off to bed.

Project time

2007-07-19T16:58:00.001+01:00

The course modules are finished and it's time to get serious with my research project. I'm investigating whether or not musical performance releases endorphins in humans. For the past month or two I've been attending various drums circles in an effort find participants. The most intense is samba drumming, where you stand (or bounce around) in a room with 30+ people who all specialize in making a racket. It's brilliant. The african is harder to grasp personally, as the feeling is a lot different from the straight 4-4 rock I've grown up on.
The general procedure follows something like this: measure participants pain threshold (pain induced by a blood pressure cuff held at a fixed pressure) before and after musical performance as well as have them fill in a few short questionnaires about mood changes and personal experience with the performance.
Why am I doing this? Ultimately it's to explain why the capacity for music has evolved and is present in humans. There are several hypothesis for this phenomenon and they are not mutually independent. Some main contenders involve sexual selection and mate attraction, a mother-infant language called 'motherese', considering music and dance a consequence-free domain for children to develop and interact in, and promoting group cohesion and function. Facilitating group cohesion is the hypothesis I am testing. Music can be considered auditory grooming, and if this is the case, it should release endorphins much like manual grooming (which reduces stress in primates, lowers aggression rates, etc). Listening to music releases endorphins, but no one has actually documented that playing releases endogenous opiates as well. I chose drum groups as aside from singing, drumming is arguably the oldest form of music around. Plus it's something I enjoy.

more to come later.

project time

2007-02-19T20:12:00.000Z

Alright, first post in a good while (thanks for the reminder Kelly ;).

So what's new in Liverpool? Everyone is settled in the program, the gears are turning and project ideas are being tossed around like mad. With a little luck I'll get to be a subject for several imaging studies and get some nice pics of my brain. As for me, I've decided to investigate the 'high' (euphoric feeling in scientific terms) that musicians often get when things 'click'. Looking at what stimulus exlicits the response (the physical activity, sociality or the synchrony with others) and what chemical mediates the experience (suspect endorphins). I have full control over the design and not suprisingly I've chosen percussionists as my subjects. Specifically, those that frequent drum circles. There's a professional group here in Liverpool that runs clinics, and hopefully will not object to donating a few hours of there time in the pursuit of science.

Course load is fairly light this semester as I dropped one module in favour of doing a minor dissertation instead. My aim, and it's ambitious, is to radically change current evolutionary theory... and I think I'm on to something. That said, tomorrow I'm meeting a prof to defend an essay last semester that received a poor mark. She's on my side, and giving me the chance so I can keep my mark in 'distinction'. Wrote my case out tonight and feeling confident.

Annie and I are great. It's not the ideal situation, her being in Leeds, me in Liverpool, but it doesn't seem to be that much of a problem (she may feel different ;). Lucky bugger gets to go to Kenya for a month in March for some fieldwork, then a few weeks holiday. I guess I can't complain considering the UK is a foreign country for me and this whole excursion could be considered a 'vacation'.

back to the grind.

Howdy

2007-01-14T00:29:00.000Z

Good break. It was nice to see everyone, and I apologize to those that I missed... time was tight. Got back in Liverpool yesterday around 9am and have wasted no time getting into the swing of things. It's two exams this week and a retarded amount of assignments due the following. Such is the life of a student.

Part of my New Years Resolution is to update this blog more frequently, as well as post more field related theories to gain some feedback. Also, reading the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins has motivated me to become a 'more informed' atheist (no... not by learning more about religions, but by learning more about why we don't need them). Expect some related postings.

cheers,

Ian

2006-11-21T00:08:00.000Z

just a notice to let those still viewing this blog that i am still alive... just extremely busy at the moment. there won't be any posts in the next few weeks (unless something monumental happens). trying to focus on various projects and narrowing down my MSc thesis (which at the moment looks like it will explore the vast world of music perception and the possible evolutionary implications).

i'm doing well. it' been almost two months into my program and i've noticed big differences in my thought process. and that's why i'm here, to develop my perspective.

i'm due back in Canada on the 8th of December, and sticking around till Jan 11th. Annie is coming to visit for 2 weeks after Christmas, and i look forward to showing her the great white north. well... at least the southern part of Ontario.

cheers for now

more photos

2006-10-22T13:50:00.000+01:00

added another album... roughly covering my first weeks in Liverpool. A tad blurry as they're all from my camera phone, but they get the point across.

Darwin rocks

2006-10-20T00:02:00.000+01:00

Started a new book this week, entitled 'The Mating Mind'. It's all about how sexual selection has shaped the human mind throughout its evolutionary history. Explains all the elaborate displays (art, music etc) that humans engage in that seem to have little bearing on our overall fitness (reproductive success). Other notable theorists and evolutionary/cognitive psychologists have passed off these traits as merely icing on the cake, or side effects from our enlarge brains and cognitive powers.

For those of you who's evolutionary theory is a bit rough, sexual selection (SS) is not the same as natural selection (NS), although both contribute to an organisms fitness. NS is concerned more with solving ecological problems that pose a survival threat, ie. staying warm in cold environments, having the right beak size to crack certain seeds, echo location to detect flying insects etc. SS drives the formation of traits that increase the chance of a successful mating encounter. Even an animal superbly suited to the current environment is a genetic dead end if it fails to generate offspring. So any trait (behavioural or morphological) that increases the likelihood of successful mating would under go intense selection. Darwin originally proposed SS to explain the bizarre ornaments found throughout the animal kingdom that seem to defy logic, and may actually compromise an organism (peacocks tails - not the best for predator avoidance).

The peacocks tail (and deer antlers, male bird song) is actually an honest indicator of male fitness. Only those well suited to their environment are able to divert energy to such costly displays and still survive. Peahens that have a preference for these traits will in turn have better quality offspring. These offspring by necessity now contain the genes for both the trait (if male) and the preference (if female). It then becomes a positive feedback loop that continues until some equilibrium is met, ie. the trait becomes so extreme that the costs outweigh the benefits. There is some debate over how the 'preference' first appears in an gene pool, but whatever the route (ie mutation) the end result is the same... run away selection. It's always random and dependent on local conditions. Computer simulations rarely follow the same course, suggesting SS is a potent mechanism for speciation.

In humans the scene is a tad more complex. Having extremely altricial young, both male and female invest heavily offspring. This sets the stage for both sexes to be selective when choosing a mate, although there are sex differences in the characteristics desired by each. I'm sure some of you are familiar with the notion of men ranking youth and attractiveness as more important than females, who in turn, favour resource potential. This is what you would expect from evolutionary principles. However, ranked higher and evenly by both sexes are 'kindness' and 'intelligence'. According to a study I read today, the preference for these characteristics suggest that a species specific force is at work in addition to straight inter-sex dynamics. Again, a result of the nature of our young and relatively 'monogamous' mating strategies (rare in mammals).

Being only 70 pages into the book, I can't say how exactly displays like art, dancing, music, humour etc increase an individuals fitness, but I can speculate.

Humans collect information about reality through our sense organs. Based on this information an internal model of the world is generated, subsequently directing behaviour. Any organism with a better 'model' (containing more accurate spatial and temporal patterns and/or more patterns in general) will have an advantage over those with inferior models. Thus, selection should drive us to process relevant environmental (including social) information with increased efficiency and accuracy. We should then have indicator mechanisms to advertise this ability, and conversely, the capability to detect signals from others.

Now... indulge me for a second. I would say that in general, people that do things well are more attractive than people doing the same thing less well. Could be anything, and certainly not all tasks are equal in the attractiveness they attract. But why is this? Same task, difference in performance, different level of attraction. What causes this difference? Ready?

The individuals differ in their models of physical reality. One is more realistic, at least in the context of the task at hand, and is generating the desired result more effectively than the other. If better models are selected for, then surely it's not a great leap to see how skills are attractive and could serve as an indicator of overall fitness. After all, brain tissue is metabolically expensive to create, not to mention the time constraints involved when learning new skills. If you can do that thing you do well, and still function adequately in other domains... chances are you're a catch.

Cool stuff eh? And no need to invoke a higher dimensional being to explain it.

more photos

2006-10-16T20:54:00.000+01:00

managed to get Annie's Bulgaria photos on my new pc this weekend, so here's some for your viewing pleasure.

Initial impressions

2006-10-08T17:14:00.000+01:00

Ok. Been here long enough to form some initial impressions of this city and the campus. First off, Liverpool is a fantastic city. The night life is unlike anything I've been exposed to. Everywhere you turn there's some new pub/bar/club pounding out music and alcohol frenzied students. It's mental and can be a little overwhelming, especially coming from Rum. Haven't made it to the Cavern Club yet, but it's on my to-do list. There are markets on the weekend (selling LOTS of meat, which is unfortunate as I decided to try vegetarian for 3 weeks), constant live music acts and some nice parks to walk around in (before dark).

The MSc course is proving to be interesting. For once when I read an article, I'm actually generating valid questions and framing relevant thoughts. Before I just glazed over and prayed the next page was the last. The class is larger than expected... 25 people, and each module has around 20-23 people attending as we had some flexibility. I dropped Neuroscience next semester in favour for a small dissertation in an area of my choice. Had enough neurogenesis and modularity in undergrad. So far the best is Fundamentals of Evolutionary Theory. We sit at Robin's feet and listen to him 'twitter' about everything. If you can hold on, you gleam a lot out of that 1hr session.

I've also narrowed down some areas of personal interest, and plan to see a prof this week to get some direction. I'll sketch them briefly here... 1) humans consistently rank intelligence as an attractive quality in the other sex. Why is that so? What advantages to intelligent people have over others? What do humans use to gauge intelligence in conspecifics? Is it relative or an absolute measure? Have any indicators of intelligence been selected for in human/great ape populations? 2) When looking at human (or primate) social networks, one notices that there are individuals that link smaller isolated groups together within the population as a whole. Are there any characteristics (behavioural or morphological) unique to these individuals?

On a completely unrelated note: finding a suitable laptop has been an absolute bitch. Dell and Big Box stores are overpriced, eBay full of scams (a fully loaded Alienware for £700? send payment to Romania? ok...) and PCnextday is now Pc in 5weeks due to high demand. Too bad, cause they have the one I want: Intel Duo 2 Core (T7400) 2.16GHzz, 160G HD, 2 G ram, ATI x1600graphicss (256M) and various other crap that all laptops have. Once I put a new sound card in (7.1 surround), it should be everything I'll ever need. So... should I order one and wait, or settle for something else now? The problem is there is little to settle for. Every other machine I've looked at doesn't come close for the price (Dell was off by £200, almost £400 when you factor in I wouldn't be able to claim back the VAT).

alright... I was drawn away from typing for about an hour now, talking to various people on MSN etc. I'll take that as a sign and end things here.

If you have any PC related suggestions... fire at will.

First week in Liverpool

2006-09-28T12:49:00.000+01:00

Moved into the below address on Sunday evening. Registered for the MSc program Monday afternoon, and had intro talks on Tuesday. Our group is massive, and the staff is a little overwhelmed with our number (25). They figured roughly 20% of those who accept never bother to show, but this year it was 100%. We met the profs and ackwardly met each other over a lunch provided. It was quite humerous to watch... all these little circles of 3-4 people in a large square room, with the only way to successfully penetrate being a direct assualt or lurking about on the fringe until someone adjusted accordingly. Some Uni natives lead us on a brief campus tour (libraries, sports center etc) then to one of the many campus pubs. This was when we really got to know one an other. Well, that turned into a pub crawl, and I ended up walking home with some new mates around 4:30am. It was great. Never have I been surrounded by so many like-minded individuals... everyone loves evolution and human behaviour. I got more of a buzz of the atmosphere than the beer.

Fantastic.

Doing my first MSc related readings in the library today, and heading to Leeds to vist Annie for the weekend.

ah yes... I added some new pictures from the spring and summer. Follow the link on the right.

got a house

2006-09-24T14:33:00.000+01:00

Here's the new address:

101 Belgrave Road
Aigburth
Liverpool
L17 7AQ

Moving in late tonight, MSc registration is tomorrow followed by a meet and greet.

Moving to England

2006-09-19T16:01:00.000+01:00

it just hit me.

Don't have a place to move into as of yet, but I have had some success in contacting people with vacant rooms in the past few days. Plan to head down to Liverpool on later this week for a few days and do some viewing (tried remotely but no one has pictures). Have to admit, it's pretty exciting, moving into a house in a foreign land. Not necessarily as thrilling as a bothy in the middle of nowhere lacking all basic comforts, but exciting in it's own right.

Let's talk Bulgaria. What a country. Annie and I had a week in Sunny Beach Resort, just outside of Bourgas. It's an 8km stretch of the most scenic beach I've been too. We had seven days of sun, with temperatures never dipping below the high 20's. The Black Sea was like bath water, but with waves :) We went into 'historic' Nessebar for a day (Messembria in ancient times), which is the oldest settlement in Europe. It was fantastic. Narrow cobble stone streets and fig trees providing shade in the courtyards. Felt like we were in another time. Wednesday night we witnessed some Bulgarian entertainment at the famous Khan's Tent in the surrounding hills. Dinner and a show, you can't go wrong. Met another couple from Newcastle and went out afterwards with them around the resort. They showed us 'their side' after we took them to a cocktail bar on 'our side' called Mexico's, which featured 2 for 1 cocktails with names like 'leg opener', 'no knickers', 'wet pussy' and so forth. What a bar. They even remembered Annie and I from a few nights back and handed us some free shots.

All in all, one hell of a trip... but be warned, the Bulgarian language and its Slavic origin is a mouthful for those primarily speaking English. I prefer languages whose basic utterances like please and thanks are one syllable. Well... please was ok being molya, but blagodarya for thanks? It's well worth the effort to speak Bulgarian as it results in smiles and the occasional laugh from the locals.

On a personal note, not being around Annie has taken some getting used to. It'll be quite a switch from spending every waking hour with someone for the better part of 9 months to only seeing them every few weeks. We're confident things will work, and looking for a joint visit home to Canada during the Christmas break.

cheers

left a piece of me in the highlands

2006-09-06T10:48:00.000+01:00

Well... that's it. My time on Rum has finished for now. We had the mother of all leaving ceilidhs on Friday and I got to my bed sometime around half five. Vaguely remember drinking Jack Daniels out of a shoe, sucking some out of a sock (Lois had spilt her drink) and wrestling with Annie. Come Monday things were a little more sombre, and we had a tearful goodbye with Sandy and Fliss before catching the boat. I left a huge piece of my heart on Rum, and promised to go back and reclaim it in the future.

So... where am I now? Well, physically I'm in Edinburgh packing for a trip to Newcastle (meet and greet with Annie's friends and family) and a week in Bulgaria. Mentally, I'm sound as a pound. I can't wait for our holiday, it one thing I've actually earned.

Ah yes... I've finally been published. Twice actually. Once in the Royal Society of London and again on the New Scientist website. Feels nice. If anyone wants a proper .pdf I can email it to you ;)

Heading East

2006-08-23T18:25:00.001+01:00

The holiday is booked. In 16 days time, Annie and I will be boarding a plane bound for the sunny beaches of Bulgaria. Seven days and nights of beach life is a nice way to unwind between jobs and heading back to student life. Beer is 37p a pint.

This past Sunday a few of us decided to head to Skye in Sandy's boat. Great idea... except halfway there we started taking on water, and lots of it. We nursed the boat into the beach, which was beautiful, and assessed our options. What was supposed to be a day trip turned into an over-nighter and pub session in Carbost (home of Talisker Whiskey). With the next day off work, we headed to Talisker Bay for more relaxing on the beach. This was mainly for Sandy's benefit as it was his boat that was toast. A bit more expensive than planned, as we needed to hire a rib to take us back to Rum, but these random events usually turn out to be worth it.

Now I can say I've been shipwrecked on an island.

Heading East

2006-08-23T18:25:00.000+01:00

The countdown begins

2006-08-18T14:11:00.000+01:00

The village's Internet is shot. Here's what I've been up to over the past month.

got a raise from SNH to £10/hr (usually work 40hr weeks ;)
went off to Fort William for a day with Annie. There was a European Food Market on that weekend, and we bought our weight in sausages and sweeties. Also managed to view Pirates of the Caribbean 2 in Mallaig in a mobile theatre (Screen Machine). It was quite a treat. Also got some new hiking boots, the third pair in 8 months. This island is hard on footwear.
went to Eigg for a night with Annie and her friend for a festival. Absolutely mental. That island can throw a party. Live music, good food and lots of whiskey.
attended the Small Isle Games on Eigg last weekend. With only 6 people from Rum in attendance we got our asses handed to us (Eigg won) but had a blast. I managed to toss the caber twice for points (only 3 people there could do it), came 5th in the Hill Race, and snagged a bottle of whiskey in the Bungee-Run. There were various other events like wellie-tossing, spud and spoon races, sack races and sprints. All while downing the local beverage (whiskey and McEwans lager) and eating free BBQ'd meats. Awesome.
finished the stag cull yesterday. So now it's odd jobs around the village (like fencing), herding cattle from one glen to another (a riot), surveying the goat and deer populations, and whatever else comes our way.

With only 3 weekends left on this island, it's finally sinking in that I'll have to leave. But as a few people here have told me... you don't leave Rum, you just take a vacation from it.

Gong Show

2006-07-20T16:54:00.000+01:00

it never ceases... third week of work and there is still debate about our contract and rate of pay. It's not all bad this time though. I have a mountain of paper work ahead of me (which won't go throught until I'm finished here) and a potential interview with some one from HM Revenue, but it should amount to a substantial pay raise (to almost £10/hr) which is well deserved considering the work involved here. Yesterday Marcel and I dragged 3 stags from what can only be considered an obsurd height to the pony track below. It was 37 C.

Then, to top it all off, I decided it would be a great idea to stick a knife in my thumb while skinning my first deer. A momentary laspe of concentration compounded heavily by the preceding 11hrs in the sun and I found myself with almost an inch of metal in the base of my favourite digit. I definately hit the muscle, it feels like your shoulder does when you get a vaccination and it hurts to move. It could have been much worse though... apparently the thumb is the only finger that has an artery. The bleeding stopped and it doesn't look infected (odd, considering I was wrist deep in deer guts at the time) so I'll just take it easy for a few days :)

So as you can see, it's business as usual on Rum.

Oh, a special shout out to all those birthdays I missed in the past few months... Jeff, Tom, Jess and others I can't think of right now.

Phase One complete

2006-07-03T20:51:00.000+01:00

The Rum Goat project is at an end. Friday was supposed to be our last day, but SNH decided to evict us a day early. Spent the weekend in the village getting rat-arsed with everyone for Kim's leaving ceilidh. It was sad to see her go but after seeing the stress of castle manager taking it's toll, I'm glad she gets a much needed vacation (sorry we missed the boat Kim!!!).

So what now you're asking? Well, after approximately 48hrs of being homeless and unemployed, I've landed on my feet. SNH has offered Annie and I positions with the stag cull. This means we get to stay on Rum (free of charge at Fortress Fraser) and make a rediculous amount of money. Things are looking up.

I just got in from my first day of work. We got two stags, filled in a bunch of holes in the road, then skinned the deer in the larder. All in all it was over 10hrs, and everyday is going to be the same. At the end of this, Annie and I are planning a trip to Eastern Europe to decompress and enjoy the fruits of our labour.

Coming to Scotland has been the best decision of my life. It's rekindled my love of the outdoors, friends, family and sense of community. I'm not going to lie, I'm the happiest I've been in many years. Annie and I have settled into a nice groove, yet everyday she manages to suprise me, usually reducing me to fits of laughter. We have electricity now, a beautiful sound system and constant access to fresh food.

more to come this week.

a date with TOOL

2006-06-11T11:46:00.000+01:00

Tonight's the night. Live in concert... TOOL. Had a peak at this tours setlist and it looks like we're in for a killer show. A lot of tracks from the new album, which in my humble opinion, is one of the best releases in several decades. Still no idea where I'm crashing tonight, but it'll all work itself out in the end.

Spent the last week with my parents; introducing them to Rum, the shop, the bothy, the goats, Annie, and doing tourist things like a few days in Fort William and visiting Stirling Castle. We're at a resort near Stirling for the last week, hiking and doing day trips.

Made a solo trek up Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK at 4409ft. The brochures mentioned it takes about 6-8hrs roundtrip, so I decided 4 would be a nice target. Started walking and was powering by people enroute. Made it up in 2hrs, and the view was astounding... literally a sea of clouds in all directions. Charged by the vista and the quick ascent, I decided to run down the mountain. All said and done it took 3hrs exactly... a respectable time. Not something I could have done 6 months ago. And my legs still hurt.

Had some great news waiting for me in my inbox... I've been awarded one of the Bombardier Fellowships! At $10 000, it'll go a long way in funding my Masters. The only downside... I have 2 days to complete the paperwork (it was sent a few weeks back, but my internet access is limited).

Nae worries. Tonight it's celebration time.

Consider this:

2006-06-03T11:39:00.000+01:00

Some individual, namely one B.J. Teerink, had not only the time, but even more incredibly, the desire to construct the following text: 'Hair of West-European Mammals'.

And someone bought it. (Although in all fairness, of all persons or agencies that could purchase Teerink's brainchild, Scottish National Heritage would be a likely candidate).

Here's a passage from the section on Muridae and Murinae (old world rats and mice):

"Cuticular scale pattern of central part of shaft dependent on side of hair used for the slide... concave side of shaft and proximal shield highly specific (see fig. 149, 150). Medulla in shield of GH1 four cells wide, in shaft of GH1 and GH2 usually predominately multicellular, cross-sections 55-60 microns."

I never knew almost all extant mammals in Western Europe have had their hair catalogued for future generations to fuss over. Don't get me wrong, I see the merit in such a compilation, I just never expected to be confronted with an actual copy... like the one perched a top a stack of invoices and partially covering a five pound note here in the SNH Office.

As you may have already guessed, I've spent several days in the village. No, I'm not slacking from my goat watching duties. I had official business to attend to... Royal business. In honour of Prince Charles (or his chequebook) arrival on Rum, there was a massive buffet placed out. Norman and I spent wednesday night in the kitchen; making pasta salads, spicy fried shrimp and scallops, roasting the hind quarters of several unlucky beasts, and defrosting a helluva lot of pre-cooked items. At little taste of Tesco's for the future King. Up early, we were on thursday to complete the process. (a Yoda inspired sentence).

Why? Good question, mate. Here's the long and short of it. The castle is in original condition, featuring lots of unique 'firsts' and 'luxuries'. Being in original condition the castle is falling apart. Money tends to keep things from falling apart. Prince Charles heads a group dubbed the Phoenix Trust (PT). PT pumps money, and obnoxious attitudes, into a variety of crumbling structures across the UK. So, one massive publicity stunt aired live on BBC Scotland later, and hopefully Kinloch Castle will enjoy another century on this green earth.

Made for an interesting week to say the least. How does one make an entire island presentable? Not sure. But judging from the frantic pace of SNH employees over the few days, someone had an idea. It seemed to work. I shook hands and had a brief yet casual conversation with the future King of the UK. Oh... and Camilla too. Was going to ask for her mobile number, but thought it might seem a bit cheeky.

being booted out of the SNH Office... more later.

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes and cards. I made Annie jealous with the sheer volume of post for me.

Business as usual

2006-05-28T11:59:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow marks a full quarter century on this planet for yours truely. No big birthday plans, just a relative feast down at Harris and a few bottles of wine. Something is quite right though... Monday is a Bank Holiday, my birthday, and the only day of the week that we're doing work. Annie is off to Kilmory to help with the deer calving, and I'm back in the village to aid in the prep for Prince Charles and company. But I guess time is running out and a lot of data still needs collecting.

Got some good news from Fliss last night (and some drum sticks as a present)... I'm one step closer to working for SNH for the summer. The details will be sorted out this week, and I should know one way or another. Best case scenario: SNH writes a letter to the Home Office granting me a work permit. Second Best: SNH opts for self-employed ghillies and I work under the table. Worst: back to Edinburgh for the summer months. Can't really complain either way.

Also, heard a rumour that there may be some big ceilidhs in June... Croft No. Five may be back as well as others. And... it's official... my phone is dead. Got water damaged again (I never learn) last week when Ains was over and doesn't want to work again. Ah well, Annie is going to post me her old one.

I'm reading a book on the fabric of reality (written by a physicist) and it should make for some interesting posts this week (parallel universes, virtual reality etc). Combined with all the books on consciousness I've read lately, and my world has been pretty much turned upside down... more accurately, inside out.

Rum in full bloom

2006-05-21T10:08:00.000+01:00

and wreaking havoc with the islands internet connection. Apparently all the new growth is causing the broadband signal to decay as it's bounced around the village. That's why I've been unable to post in the past 2 weeks. But never fear, it's seems to be working now... so here's the latest.

Official end date of the Rum Goat Project is mid July. As the quad is written off there's not much point in continuing, and Robin has more than enough data for several papers. Don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but there is rumour that Annie and I may be able to stick around for the summer months and work the deer cull (well, she can for sure, but my Visa status may limit me). It's a sweet gig involving lots of walking, working with ponies, and dragging dead deer long distances over rough terrain... then cutting them up in the larder at night.

Rum Music Festival. WOW. Probably one of the sickest festivals I've attended, hands down. Sandy really had it together when he organized this event. Three days of madness and incredible music. Myself, Annie and Katherine (the researcher I replaced) worked the bar each night (in 3 hr shifts) and the shop the following morning (except for Sunday, when the ladies graciously let me sleep in). Must have been my accent, but I think I won the competition to see how many drinks were bought for us behind the bar. By the end of Saturday night I could barely walk... stumbled into the music tent and was blown away by the PeatBog Faeries, who have one of the best drummers I've seen (I'm talking Danny Carey from TOOL calibre). Croft No Five were headlining Friday night, and took the stage just as I got off bar detail. Got some great videos on Annie's camera that I'll post sometime in the near future. I could write a book about the festival but I think 'highlight of the summer' sums it up nicely. Sandy has already put our names down to help with next years.

On Tuesday Ainslie came to visit, doubling the number of Canadians on Rum. Unfortunately the weather was typical of this island and didn't allow for much walking. We did share a cramped ride down to Harris in a Land Rover full of geriatrics. It was nice to see someone from back home and even better to hear a familar accent. Annie and I joined her for the ferry ride to Mallaig on Friday as I needed to get new hiking boots (my old one cracked and absorbed water resulting in a smell you wouldn't believe). We originally intended to have a big night out in Mallaig, but after some fish 'n' chips we decided a quiet night in watching movies was a far superior option. Somehow we even managed to get a goat researcher discount on the room.

Saturday was spent eating more fish 'n' chips, purchasing a new pair of kicks, too much time in the local grocery store (we were like deer in caught in headlights looking at the food) and unfortunately no time at Mallaig's 'Marine World', which was closed for repairs. Not sure what Marine World features, but I'm guessing an extensive collection of molluscs and some lower aquatic invertebrates. We then boarded the CalMac and had an exciting 5hr tour of the small isles before returning home at 7pm. All in all it was a nice weekend get-a-way and technically our 'first date' (the shop doesn't count).

Looking ahead: one week at Harris putting in some solid field work then back to the village for a rather random few days. Prince Charles is coming here June 1st on a chartered yacht, and Norman has asked for my help in preparing a buffet for 70+ VIPs. Wtf? Of course I said yes, but I'm not sure if all the necessary security clearences will hold up, me being a non-UK citizen and all. But... fingers crossed and I may be cooking for royalty. Only on Rum.

After the buffet, it's off to the mainland to visit my parents for a few weeks. Ains and I made some plans to hit up London and the Maple Leaf pub for Canada Day celebrations, but we'll see how it pans out given recent developments. Also, I'm getting rather excited about the return to academic life. Ainslie is going to put me in touch with an evolutionary psychologist who studies monkey colonies in Fiji and hopefully we can discuss options in the field and potential PhDs.

well folks, I have a million and one emails to send out and limited time... so I hope all is well and I'll post next week.

2006-04-30T13:35:00.000+01:00

It's been mental here on Harris since I've returned. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous. If it weren't for the ticks I'd been wearing shorts and t-shirts all the time in the field. Made that mistake early in the week and found 3 little ones crawling on my leg. No worries, they're too small to bite as it's early in the season.

We had two ceilidhs this weekend, featuring some members of the PeatBog Faeries. Friday was a little weak, too many wee ones about, but last night was solid. I had to re-neg on a promise to Emmelda (hiker here for the weekend) about climing Askival today, but it feels like something is trying to hatch out of my head.

Everyone here is gearing up for the festival, albeit at varying rates. Must be hard when the islands population spikes from 25 to 600+, but Sandy seems to have everything under control. Fliss and I decided to hold a joint birthday bash at the end of the month as our respective dates are only one day apart. May is shaping up to be a killer month.

Work related: Annie and I have moved on to another goat heft which is a little farther along the south coast. It's a lot more walking but much more entertaining, as each new goat heft has really distinct colourings. We've named the GnP goats after world cities, and the Wreck Bay ones after objects in the solar system (my favourite is Ceres, a really fluffy, white yearling). Also, after 4 months of living together, Annie and I had our first 'falling out' on Friday. It's a long story and boils down to miscommunication, but everything is all good if not better now. Suppose it had to happen sometime. And no... it wasn't all my fault.

Got two packages in the mail this week... one with a very smart Canadian flag and the other containing a bounty of Easter candy (thanks Mum and Dad ;). Kim gets quite a kick out of our faces everytime post arrives for us, but after a long week at Harris any contact with home is just about the best thing around.

Ah yes... how could I forget. The drumkit is here. Had a good whack at it Friday night, jamming some tunes with various community members, and incidently (this is for Paul), one of the best pipers in Scotland (he was playing the whistle at the time). It's not a stellar drum setup but I'm not going to look this gift horse in the mouth. I gave Annie a few lessons down at Harris on basic stick control so maybe we'll move up to the real deal this weekend.

Hope everything is going well for those back home. Exams are finished, stress levels should be dropping, work commencing... the cycle continues.

train was late

2006-04-18T10:37:00.000+01:00

Got into Waverly Station on Monday just in time to see my train bound for Glasgow pulling away. With a little convincing I had the good people at ScotRail validate my ticket for today. This left me with a few more days of good eating, CD burning, movie watching and Xbox playin'.

I been surfing the net for several hours each day now, and I've come to the conclusion that I could happily spend the rest of my life reading Wikipedia. My focus has been primarily political, with special interest paid to the ongoing crisis in Iraq and some alarming new details regarding US involvement in Iran. If you're interested, check out this article in the New Yorker by respected journalist Seymour Hersh or go here for a nice review of US-Iran relations.

I'm sure everyone is almost sick of hearing about the alleged Iranian nuclear missile program, but what I didn't know was that Iran, to date, has not violated any of the guidelines set down by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran has also allowed more rigorous inspections of it's facilities than is mandated by the IAEA. Surely every nation should have the right to develop alternative energy sources, and if the USA and it's Western Allies are really concerned about unfriendly (ie. not pro-western) states with the bomb, why not take action against Pakistan, which has already admitted to selling plans and materials to other 'less than credible' nations? Do a search for 'Khan-for Iran' and read some of the articles that pop up (Khan being Pakistan's go-between for the deals, now under house arrest).

I'm looking forward to being back on Rum - less stress for me.

Why do I bother thinking/worrying about this stuff? It may not effect my immediate situation (goats don't care about Christian Fundamentalists, Islamic Extremists or Peak Oil) but it certainly will when I emerge from my academic bubble. Already it's been made difficult for people of Western origin to travel through some of the most beautiful and historic places on Earth. I can see it eroding civil liberties - there are no rubbish bins in any public transport system in the UK and Washington DC was awash in security personel, making travel to these areas less enjoyable. I don't want this for my generation, and least of all for my childrens... so I sit on Rum and read, arming myself with knowledge and encourage others to do the same.

in Edinburgh for the day

2006-04-13T16:19:00.000+01:00

For any of those who have never been, it's an absolutely beautiful city. Took a wee stroll along Princes St and through the park gardens, then headed to the Canadian Consulate office to inquire about a new passport. I'm still not 100% sure of who I was talking to as the Office was inside a law firm or something, but she handed me some official Canadian documents and walked me through the process (even recommending some places to get photos taken). Since no one knows me in Scotland, I had to get some random partner of the firm to sign my documents ensuring the good people at Passport Canada that I am indeed Ian Fraser MacDonald. Watching him read over the form made me wonder why I even considered Law School.
Met a cute woman (Sophie) working the front desk who is going to Indonesia for 5 months to study orangutans in the jungle. We chatted a bit about the trials and tribulations of field research and our respective Masters programs, and I left feeling a little jealous... I'd rather watch primates than goats.

My electronic devices have dried out, and only the camera batteries seem to be buggered. They can't hold a charge anymore. Could be worse :)

added more photos

2006-04-10T16:17:00.000+01:00

a few more on the page linked in the previous post...

a wee inconvenience

2006-04-09T18:19:00.000+01:00

Water... our relative position in the solar system allows for it to exist in three states of matter. The liquid form can alter landscapes, sustain life, put out fires, be shot from water guns, and is generally considered the best thing before and after sliced bread.

But there is a darker side to this miraculous substance. Here's a list of items that don't get along well with Mr. H2O:

March issues of Scientific American
A book on Consciousness that was actually coherent
Wallets (and a random ten Euro note)
Journals
Canadian passports
Mobile phones
Digital cameras and batteries

Several of those items may survive brief exposure, but trust me, none of them particularly enjoy being completely submerged in a river for two hours... pinned under an upside down quad bike.

Million dollar question: 'How did that happen?'
Short answer: 'female drivers' (Annie's ok, she wasn't on the bike when it happened)... lol
Long answer: not entirely sure, didn't witness the event, but apparently the bike got stuck going up a steep incline near the river bank (where we turn the quad around), and when Annie got off the parking brake wasn't properly engaged and the bike literally fell into the river. Upside down. With our bags under it. Awesome :)

That unpleasantness aside, I'm happy to report that my 15 hr public transport journey (boat, bus and train) has come to an end. I am safe, warm and DRY in Musselburgh for the next week, tasting the delights of civilization. Hopefully everything will get sorted out this week.

Oh yes... go here for some photos... memory cards are suprisingly water resistant :)

odds and ends

2006-04-02T16:12:00.000+01:00

Next weekend will feature a barrage of photos for those people back home wondering what the hell the Isle of Rum and it's varied inhabitants look like.

For all you with musical tastes leaning towards the heavier, prog rock genre... I am officially going to see TOOL in Glasgow on June 11th. Held my ticket last night. Jeff and Reza... I'll send you a picture.

I'm sticking around in the village tonight for another cooking lesson with Norman (veg curry, mushroom soup) and another episode of what is quite possibly the greatest thing to ever be broadcast on TV - BBC's Planet Earth. The latest episode is all about deserts.

thinking ahead

2006-04-01T17:22:00.000+01:00

Been thinking about the next few months and how to fill them. I'm headed to Edinburgh for a week next Saturday, then back to Rum. We'll kill a few weeks walking back and forth to Wreck Bay (2hrs away) each day studying a new heft group. May 12-14 brings the madness of the Sound of Rum Music Festival and then a few weeks recovery time until my birthday and yet another 2 weeks in Edinburgh, Stirling and Fort William with my parents (looking forward to it). Mid June it's back on Rum for more goat action.

July/August is when it starts to get a little 'iffy'.

I would like to stay on Rum for the summer as there are several key events in the area (The Small Isles Games for example), but I'd also like to hit the European continent for several weeks since it's so close. Once my Masters starts, I'm not sure I'll have the time (I certainly won't have the money) to travel much. Either or requires a significant increase in personal income... despite my posh living conditions, goat research doesn't pay well. So, do I find a job on Rum (very limited - basically fishing of some description)? Or do I head to Edinburgh and seek employment there?

Maybe I'll purchase a lotto ticket next week...

drumsticks!!

2006-03-27T00:46:00.000+01:00

sweet... they've finally arrived.

poor Annie.

2006-03-25T11:18:00.000Z

Wow... no rugby scrum, but the ceilidh was a blast. I think I may be turning into a Croft No. Five groupie. If you haven't checked them out yet, go here and you can download some songs (I think). Paul was kind enough to let people have a rip on his makeshift kit (a floor tom for a bass drum, which sounded awesome) so myself and Garry jammed out a Hendrix tune and some various other traditional songs that just left me holding a pair of brushes with a confused look on my face. Can't wait for the festival.

I've started helping out in the castle kitchen, under the watchful eye of Head Chef Norman (the only chef). Yesterday was my first go and I don't think I've ever peeled so many potatoes. Got some good cooking tips, which is why I volunteered in the first place, and I'm going back this afternoon for round two. Other than that things are pretty laid back at the moment. I think this is the lull before the storm (ie. tourist season).

cheers

Live from Rum

2006-03-24T17:56:00.000Z

It's another ceilidh night... featuring 3 members of Croft No. Five. I'm on the shop PC right now, with the sound check going on around me. I'm also the lighting tech for this evening... which consisted of carving candles down so they would fit in wine bottles (gotta set the mood).

More to come later tonight...

The Sound of Rum Music Festival

2006-03-23T17:00:00.000Z

Got the urge to travel? Dig live music with celtic influences? Missing beer tents and outdoor venues? Well the Isle of Rum has something for you... The 2nd annual Sound of Rum Music Festival: May12-14th. Featuring such hard hitting acts like Croft No. Five, the Peatbog Faeries and 3 days worth of other bands, you could hardly go wrong. Throw in daily workshops for various instruments (for all levels) and you're laughing.

Flights to Scotland are cheap as chips, and once here you can stay at the beautiful 5 star Chateau Harris, which is rumoured to have the best view around. Alternatively there is the castle hostel and camping right near the event (where I'll be... oh who am I kidding, sleep is out of the question).

Give it some thought for your travel plans... this is going to be one hell of a festival and I'd love to have people to share the memories with.

I'll get the official website from Sandy (the man with the plan) and post later... but for now:

Croft No. Five
Peatbog Faeries

The 3rd Anniversary of the Iraqi War

2006-03-21T16:26:00.000Z

Was actually yesterday, but I was down in Harris watching goats and couldn't rant. But I'm here now.
So, we have a bit of a situation here. A sovereign nation has been illegally occupied for 3 years. The main constituents of the 'Coalition of the Willing' (or what ever semantic slant is being used this week) are the USA and Britain. Not up on my British figures, but to date the total cost to the United States for this blunder of all blunders is $248,302,671,361 and rising. George W has just asked the US Congress for an additional $70 billion.
Perhaps a better way to measure the costs of this war would be to look at the body count. To date, the US has lost 2319 and the UK 103 military service personnel. More shockingly, the amount of innocent civilians killed has been estimated at '30 thousand, more or less' by US figures, or as high as 250 000 from other sources. This is on top of the hundreds of thousands killed during the UN imposed sanctions on Iraq following the first Gulf War. The majority of casualties comes from the indiscriminate bombing of Iraqi targets. Despite the propaganda we see daily on Western Networks like Fox and CNN, the overwhelming majority of ordinance used in Iraq are not 'smart bombs'. An example of this is the 'daisy cutter', a 15 000 lbs 'dumb bomb' that produces enough power to level buildings and trees.
Why did these two nations initially decide to wage war? Admittedly national security has become a complex issue since the events of 9/11, but the two main reasons repeatedly tossed about were 1) Saddam Hussein supports international terrorism and has been linked to Al Qaeda and 2) he has weapons of mass destruction and currently furthering these capabilities.
His links to Al Qaeda were unsubstantiated claims from the Bush Administration. Saddam's 'regime of terror' was largely secular, and hated by the various Islamic fundamentalists groups in the region. His WMD program was largely defunct from the severe damage, defections, and subsequent sanctions that hit Iraq after Desert Storm. Iraqi scientists were not procuring fissile material; the 'yellow cake' from Niger was falsified intelligence. It was initially received from Italian sources, stovepiped straight to the Bush Admin (bypassing those trained to interpret it) and used in media broadcasts. Upon exposure, Bush Admin officials blew the cover of the investigating officer's wife, a long time CIA covert operative, which is a felony offense.

Yet, despite the progress UN weapons inspectors were making, the invasion went ahead. What is worse, officials have acknowledge that the initial claims were false, and the war persists. Iraq is not democratic, nor will it be anytime soon, the government is miles away from stability and functions only in the Occupied Green Zone. Outer regions of the country are controlled by various warlords and Bathist supporters. Iraqi citizens are not safer now than they were with Saddam at the helm, in fact, Iraqis are 58 times more likely to die in the period following the invasion than before. I don't think I even need to mention the torture allegations and detaining of suspects, denied of legal and family contact (illegal under US and International Law).

The majority who will read this blog are Canadian. Sure, we wisely said no this hair-brained attempt to secure energy resources in the Middle East, but we have done nothing since to forward our anti-war stance. Outside of government officials publicly condemning the invasion, imposing sanctions, or raising complaints to the UN, I'm not sure what we could do. But ignoring the issue and continuing to engage in cozy relations with the occupying nations (which looks suspicious to those on the other side of the fence) is not the right course of action. Quiet complacency will only make us future targets.

With that off my chest... I'm headed back to study the goats.

some alone time

2006-03-20T10:07:00.000Z

Annie's off the island today for a week or so, leaving me with massive amounts of time for reading and tin whistle practice. Thanks to Kim and the Forestry people, I have enough tomatos (Kim: it's TOE-MA-TOES) to feed a small army... and bread, and milk, and onions. I'll be able to post during the week now that the quad is fixed and I can pick up my vegetable order on my own time.

Chris: did you win your football game this weekend? And how did Hearts get on?

Good times on Rum

2006-03-18T13:25:00.000Z

Another sunny Saturday on Rum. Spent the night celebrating with the Forestry people (last night on Rum) and watching Napoleon Dynamite. I think it was after 4am when my head hit the pillow.

Came into the village on Thursday for a meeting on Habitat Restoration and was greeted with three, yes count them, three pieces of spectacular news:

1) the Isle of Rum is getting a drumkit! A 5 piece Yahama something or other complete with cymbals. I may have to import the goats to this side of the island as I am never leaving town after it arrives. Tentative plans for the Isle of Rum band are in the making... the name... 'The Rummies'... Brilliant.

2) the quad is fixed! It's already survived two trips to Harris and back. Annie and I left Friday morning to do some work. Well, she did work. I played on the beach during an exceptionally low tide, searching for weird and wonderful aquatic life. After cleaning the Bothy I decided to walk an alternative route back into Kinloch, leaving Annie the quad as she had a lot of stuff to bring. So off I went. Took about 4hrs but worth every second. Visited several new lochs along the way (Long Loch being the nicest and featuring an old damn at one end), saw some deer, and managed to get within 10' of a Golden Eagle. It was massive, and scared the sh*t out of me when it took flight. I was just wandering along, minding my own business (singing some Megadeth song) and saw movement out of the corner of my eye... and there it was. Unfortunately I was unprepared with my camera so the whole event goes undocumented. I did snap some great photos of other Rum wildlife... especially in the Shop.

3) my honors thesis is getting published! The Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B (for Biological) has accepted our paper. Not sure what month it will be, but it's relatively soon. Sweet. Don't be afraid to run a literature search for MacDonald, I.F. :D

More to come tomorrow. Annie and I are on Shop Duty tonight (5-8pm), so it should be interesting.

Bonjour

2006-03-11T14:18:00.000Z

Back in the village. Obviously. I saw somewhere on the Blogger webpage that you could post via a mobile phone, so I may give that a try if ever I get a signal at Harris. Utter crap weather here at the moment. Annie and I had a wet walk into Kinloch yesterday, but it went by quickly. Nothing much to report really, it's kind of quiet here now with everyone gone for the season. The goats are still doing goat things. We just named the new batch of kids... after fruit (Leslie's idea). My favourite is Pumello, who is Flo's kid and has the best horns of the little ones yet. Quality stock.
I'm at the end of my rope with my current facial hair situation. The plan was to take some pictures this weekend, then shave it all off. But I'm still waiting on my camera, so the beard will stay for now. It's just an unruly mess, and doing me no good in the looks department (Jess - I finally see your point ;).
Last night was a solid night in the shop, bolstered by the productive week we had at Harris. We rocked hard with some students from a forestry college (they're over for 2 weeks). According to Annie we retired around 5am. Last thing I remember was catching peanuts in my mouth in the castle kitchen... and just making a mess in general.

A few people must be wondering what the hell 'observing goats' entails, so here's the details for any interested parties. I do two kinds of observations:

1) Activity Budgets: pick a focal animal (we are recording female behaviour only at the moment) and watch them for 30 minutes. Every minute, or close to, I write down what the animal is doing. There are five categories: moving, standing, feeding, lying down or ruminating (chewing their cud). Also, if there are any interactions with other goats, I record what happened and with whom. Usually the sheet consists of nothing but 30 F's down the page, as all they do is feed. I also record group composition, overall quality of the animals, weather conditions etc.

2) Vigilance Rates: basically stare at one animal for 5 minutes, recording the number of 'looks' out it makes. A look is classified by the head being raised above the horizontal. Personally I think this is a crap measure, and getting high inter-rater reliability between myself and Annie is an ongoing problem. The difficulty lies in recording what the goat looked at... a male, female, kid, or just 'out'. It totally depends on your vantage point, and really hard to do when staring through binoculars as your field of view is limited. Anyways, the data will be compared to another goat population in Wales, one that has natural predators unlike these beasts on Rum. Additionally, we record what type of vegetation the goats are feeding on at the time. In theory, the vigilance rate should decline as the food quality increases, to allow for maximal energy input. Again... a crap measure, I think it's more influenced by group size and experience (age). But I am just a peon.

So... we aim for at least 8 activity budgets and 10 vigilance samples per day. We simply follow one group around as they graze in the hills then move to another if we run out of goats to sample (have to wait at least 2 hrs before we can repeat an animal).

Welcome to my life.

so I lied...

2006-03-04T21:37:00.000Z

No hill trek for me today. Chris was too hung-over. lol. I went on a solo walk out to the point to watch the boat come in... little did I know it was coming from the other direction (from Canna). Built another snowman (a monsterous one) with the Sasha and Nell. I've always had a soft spot for kids... they keep you young, and are always genuine. Not much else to report... chilling with Kim and Annie tonight, watching Johnny Depp and eating cheesecake.

Feel like a chick...

up and up

2006-03-04T09:56:00.000Z

Going up in the mountains for the first time. The plan is to do Allabhal (AL-lu-val) and Barcabhal (BAR-ku-val), but I'm not sure in what order... I'm just going to follow Chris. If you have Google Earth and some spare time, you should be able to see them no problem. Apparently the whole trek will take about 5-6 hrs.

I spent yesterday afternoon engaged in all out war with the local children. As mentioned previously, the snow has remained on the ground, and prompted the kids to attack mercilessly anything that moves with a barrage of snowballs. Their favourite targets include Canadians and Land Rovers. I managed to pacify them briefly with the idea of building a snowman... actually I believe it was a snowwoman named Hally. Then they thought it would be a good idea to gang up on me and shove snow down my jacket and in my hat. I put up a solid resistance, and got them all back one by one (the oldest was 9 I believe). At the end of it all I was more tired than if I'd been following goats at Harris. Have to be careful though... or I'll end up babysitting the rugrats everytime I'm in the village ;)

enough is enough

2006-03-03T12:00:00.000Z

The nature of the responses to my posts has to change... currently they discourage others from posting, and subsequently undermine the whole purpose of this blog - ease of communication with those back home. I really look forward to hearing from as many people as possible and recent events are starting to annoy me. I shouldn't have to be saying this - keep the posts relevant and respectful.

Now, on to more positive things. It's another sunny day in Kinloch. I assume it's the same down in Harris but we're still here pending the risk of being snowed in. In a few minutes I'm heading down to the beach front again to practice my two tin whistle songs. Maybe the dogs will join me again... I'm sure it must be agony to their ears and they come running only to see if I'll stop. But the festival is only 2 months away and I need to be in top form.

UPDATE: the posts in question have since been removed... no hard feelings ;)

All's quiet on the western front...

2006-03-02T15:13:00.000Z

A quiet day here in Kinloch. A lorrie full of random hedges came of the boat today, and are being placed in neat little rows out front of the castle. The snow has decided to stick around, with the grand total amounting to 3". Had a snowball fight with Marcel, Leslie and a bunch of kids yesterday evening. Tried to make a snowman but was met with limited success. I spent an hour or two this afternoon sitting on a bench practicing my tin whistle skills, with the snowcapped peaks of Sleat and the mainland off in the distance. I can now hack my way through two songs, and managed to summon 2 of the local dogs for an audience (Danner and Zappa).
I'm not seeing this harsh weather that was predicted, so tomorrow looks like more of the same. I may see if I can be of some assistance around the village - maybe distribute more hedges. Kim returns on Saturday with promises of cheesecake and Johnny Depp movies (I'm a fan of the former, her and Annie... huge fans of both), so I'm killing time with music, Plato and showers twice a day.

Ok... here's the lowdown on my favourite BBC Radio One snipets:

Laura's Diary: the younger sister of a current intern (Laura) on the Scott Mills Show got hold of her diary and is reading passages out on air everyday at 5:15pm. The diary dates are from fall 1997, and absolutely halirious. It's now season 4 of Laura's Diary, dubbed the Uni-Years, as she is attending the University of Glasgow. She has a boyfriend (Ben) back home in York, but fancies her flatmate Allan, who she has gotten off with several times in the first months of Uni. She is also dating a mysterious famous person (who can't be named for legal reasons) and suffering from an acute case of alapesia. A real jem of a show. Unfortunately, Annie and I missed the episode last night... all the radios in the castle have broken antennae.

Flirt Divert: Radio One has set up a phone number to give out to anyone who tries to chat you up and you don't feel like leaving your real number. Once called, a generic answering machine plays and the unsuspecting victim leaves a message... which gets played on air throughout the show. You get drunk people slurring words, people calling about various items for sale, and someone has won a free carpet (which Radio One then gave away or sold on Ebay). It has generated about half a dozen key catch phrases Annie and I employ... 'fancy a bit of minky-minky?', 'shake my lap-a-tap-a-da, lappy-tappy-ta' to name a few.

Now you understand how little there is to do at Harris once the day's work has finished.

chaos, ceilidhs and cameras

2006-03-01T15:32:00.001Z

Good news. Got an official email from HM (her majesty) Customs saying my parcel has been released and cleared of all charges. Excellent, my drugs should be here in a few days...

Island News: this past weekend feature a series of 'farewell' parties for various SNH employees. It was kind of depressing as Monday and Tuesday rolled around, and everyone boarded their respective ferries, but the events of Friday and Saturday more than made up for it. Let's start with Friday... um... can't remember... move on to Saturday (Mum - not another word about 'my liver' ;)

Saturday was the main event. A traditional live band was brought over to play tunes like 'the canadian barn dance' and 'stripping the willow'. You'll be happy to know that my trousers remained intact for the entire night, which, as I will explain shortly, is somewhat of a miracle. After about 2 hrs of stuffing our face with Norman's finest curries and indian breads, a bunch of us decided it would be a great time to have a wrestling match on the hall floor. I think it started between Niall and his older brother, but regardless, it quickly snowballed into the funniest thing I've seen in some time. For about 40 minutes, 10 of us tackled, tripped, dropped, flopped and rolled each on the floor. All smiles mind you... I don't know what hurt more, the laughing or the bruises. It certainly got the blood flowing, and the influx of female participants was an added incentive ;)

After we've had enough of that, or enough of the bewildered stares from everyone else, it was back to regular shop activities. I think I spent a little time 'resting' in the soft play area (for the kids... filled with mats etc) but quickly came back around. I believe the night ended with all of us cramming into the castle common room for conversation, more live music and various other things. What a 'crackin' night.

For all you interested in music, here's a list of some of the stuff I've been exposed to recently and enjoy:

Croft # 5: awesome... blends celtic with world and rock music
Alabama 3: umm... kind of electronic/rock/folk, one of my new favourites ('Outlaw' album)
Asian Dub Foundation: weird, worldy feel, nice
The Coral: indie rock band from Liverpool (courtesy of Annie)
Beatbog Faeries: celtic
Goldfrapp: good music to dance to in the shop

Music to avoid like the plague (but played to the point of abuse on BBC Radio 1):

Arctic Monkies
Kazier Chiefs
James Blunt

More to come later this week. The weather here is crap (by Scottish standards) and we've been recalled into the village to avoid being snowed in. There is all of 2 inches on the ground... in the shade. But hey... who am I to complain? a warm bed and shower never hurt me.

ps. remind me to tell you all about BBC Radio 1 and 'Laura's Diary' and the 'Flirt Divert Number'... these two snipets are the highlights of our days down at Harris.

a correction is needed...

2006-02-25T10:30:00.000Z

Kim does not suck at pool... in fact she is ranked number 37 in all of the UK. I was being hustled, or having my ego fed. She also has other random skills like juggling flaming swords (5 at a time), eating bits of glass (working on an entire window in one wing of the castle... it's under restoration anyways) and conversing with chickens (currently writing her second version of 'Kim's Poultry to English Dictionary'... and yes, if you're wondering, the avian flu outbreak has them trembling too).

feel better? I certainly do... :P

ps. we're playing a round or two tonight.

cut and paste

2006-02-18T15:56:00.000Z

I've been typing all day, so I'm gonna just cut and past something that everyone would be interested in any ways... my mission statement for the next few years (actually a letter of intent for the J. Armand Bombardier Internationalist Fellowship application). The format is off, Blogger doesn't like 'tables' but all the same... enjoy.

I am applying for the Internationalist Fellowship in efforts to fund my postgraduate education. My undergraduate degree (B.Sc Honors Psych) exposed me to the biological and evolutionary motives for human behaviour, but left me with more questions than answers. The University of Liverpool (Liverpool, UK) offers a 12 month taught MSc in Evolutionary Psychology. Evolutionary psychology is the study of the phylogenetic history and adaptive functions of the mind. Researchers attempt to understand the purpose of human mind by examining past and present patterns that pervade our natural world. The research group at Liverpool is one of the most experienced and diverse in existence, and the largest operating within Europe. This unique collection of perspectives provides candidates with an excellent introduction into the fledgling field of evolutionary psychology through training in the relevant areas; evolutionary theory, human/primate evolutionary history, human/primate cognition and discipline specific statistical and research methods.
The MSc program is divided into 3 semesters with specific topics covered in each. Successful completion of the MSc requires completion of all nine modules:
Semester 1: Sept - Dec 2007
1: Fundamental Concepts in Evolutionary Theory 2: Primate Behavioural Ecology 3: Human Behavioural Ecology 4: Research Methods I

Semester 2: Jan - May 2007
5: Cognitive Evolution 6: Neuropsychology 7: Research Methods II 8: Statistics Course

Semester 3: May - Aug 2007
9: Research project (Projects involve 2-3 months data collection written up as a 20,000-word thesis
An area of personal interest is the notion of time perception in humans and our nearest extent relatives (and the associated temporal displays like music, language etc.). It can be argued that our species’ unique concept and awareness of time has contributed to our tremendous success, and as such has attracted a great deal of academic attention in recent years. Equally appealing are the dynamics of human mate choice. When humans choose potential mates, the decision is based upon a myriad of cues, at both the conscious and subconscious levels. Isolating these cues and highlighting their evolutionary significance is also a growing field of research. The MSc program from Liverpool will enable me to successfully explore the above avenues at the PhD level and beyond. Upon completion of my Masters, I intend to apply to relevant PhD programs at St. Andrews University (St. Andrews, Scotland) or The University of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia) to continue my academic career, with the ultimate goal of becoming a university professor.
In efforts to make myself a well-rounded individual and gain practical experience in my field, I am currently an Honorary Research Assistant (a glorified volunteer) with the University of Liverpool. Under Dr. Robin Dunbar, member of the Evolutionary Psych research group at Liverpool, I am gathering data on the social interactions within feral goat populations on the Isle of Rum, off the northwest coast of Scotland. Rum is a small and mountainous island with one village community of roughly 25 people. However, the study is conducted on the far side of the island, based out of a hunting bothy that lacks electricity or heating. The isolated nature of the project requires special attributes from its participants; independence, resilience (the climate is severe), physical stamina, and a sound mental state. Also, one must interact well with the locals (Scottish National Heritage employees) as our survival and general experience depends on a warm, reciprocal relationship. The skills I’ve brought to and learnt on Rum are fully transferable to any pursuit be it academic or personal.
While my education will be gained from various foreign institutions, as it is a perfect way to simultaneously develop a career and see the diversity the world has to offer, I plan to return to Canada once sufficiently ‘learned’. As a professor it is my hope that the theories and factual knowledge I will possess (as well as life experience) can go a long way towards educating and motivating generations of Canadian students. As citizens of one of the most diverse and fortunate countries it is our responsibility to put such an advantage to good use – realizing personal potential while developing a deep knowledge and respect for the international community.

found my stride

2006-02-12T14:51:00.000Z

Although my favourite day has always been Thursday, this week it Friday stood up and took charge. Down at Harris I collected the most (and accurate) data so far, had a lovely (yet chilly) walk into town and a simply unbeatable time at the Shop. It was the 'young' crowd's turn to go out, and boy did we put on a clinic. There is some Isle of Rum gossip circulating regarding myself and Kim (she has a boyfriend, btw) so we decided to fuel the fire. As it turns out, my pants ripped while we were dancing to TOOL (thrashing about is better description) and provided the perfect situation, as we were alone in the hall when it happened. lol.
I finally unraveled the mystery surrounding my camera: it's being held in Inverness until I pay £89.75 in VAT tax (value added tax) and a holding fee. Customs thought it was a new camera and assigned the import duty to it. The situation should be resovled Monday when I call London and yell (politley) at them. So... within a week or two I can add some visual content to this lovely blog.
Back to the data collection. I'm finally confident in what I'm observing and how to record it, so it's no longer even a slight bother to follow these 'minging' beasts around the hills. I also took adavantage of some alone time with Lesley (supervisor) and Ed (Warden) to express my personal interest in aiding with the goat cull and annual count, as well as some minor horticultural projects planned for the village. I've got some busy months ahead :)

oh yes... I also made a lovely soup from carrots, red lentils, potato, and a few packs of 'brown sauce' kicking around the castle.

A special post for Ed

2006-02-07T13:52:00.000Z

Big E,

Got your email today (well, finally checked my email today) and I share your feelings towards working at the same institution once we're 'learned' enough for someone to pay us for our thoughts (at the very least we could collaborate on some 'landmark' papers... or cite each others excessively ;). Also, I included the new link to Yahoo News to save you a few precious mouse clicks in your daily net searches. Say hi to Jes for me, hope all is well on that front.

Helicopters and Haggis

2006-02-07T13:32:00.000Z

That's right... I got my first helicopter ride yesterday. Picked Portia and I up right up in front of the castle, flew us a few clicks inland, dropped us off at a quarry (in the rain) where we stood for 30 minutes and watched it ferry bags of rock back and forth to another part of the island (to fix the ailing road). The real reason the copter was in was to help with the deer cull. Ususlly they use a boat to get to the more remote parts of the island, but it's out of commission (like everything else). They got a whopping 54 deer yesterday, and are aiming for another 40 today. It's a bloodbath on Rum. Well... not really. It either takes 2 stalkers 5-10 days to get that number, or 5 stalkers 2 days. Personally I don't care... I just want some venison.
So... no camera yet. And it's a damn shame too. Kim gave me a tour of the castle (including the ballroom, which is perfect for sliding with socked feet ;) and then we had a billards night in the actual billards room (over 100 years old). Amazing. I spent Saturday 'hoovering' the halls of the castle and cleaning the kitchen (the least I could do... I am staying for free). Portia keeps trying to get me into the larder to see some deer carcasses, but I keep finding excuses not to go. I don't really want to see 54 deer hanging from the ceiling and 2-3" of blood on the floor.
I'd like for people to recommend some reading material for me. All I have is rather heavy scientific stuff, which is ultimately my favourite, but can only be had in small doses. Give me some fiction (witty, deep, thought provoking, classics etc) and I can track them down.

oh, about the haggis... I bought one for dinner tonight.

i'm back...

2006-02-03T15:11:00.000Z

The internet service provider for Rum has gone tits up... so for the past week or so I've really been off the grid. Most of the island is still without a connection, but luckily the Reserve Office is on a different line and currently empty :)
Ok, the best way to do this is simply take it day by day since the last post... and it's been quite a journey!

Thursday: out to Harris via land rover with the Stalkers. Saddled up the ponies and headed off into the cuillens (mountains). It was and absolutely perfect day... not a cloud in the sky. All and all we were out for about 7 hrs, and when I finally made it back to the rover I was spent (and still hung over from the night before). But, it was the best decision I've made since coming here. I got to know more people (Portia, Karl, Marcel, John Alex) and people have a much better respect for you when you're actively involved (Leslie said there have been multiple nice comments about me since arriving ;)
That night we went to the shop for some pool, few beverages and live music. There are several people here from neighbouring Eigg to do some fence maintainence, and I've become quite chummy with them as we both stay at the castle.
Friday: out to Harris again with the stalkers. Not quite as nice as the day before, but it was cut short as both Portia's and Karl's radios were dead (forgot to charge them... a night in the shop will do that). Into town, enough time for a brief walk and an extremely long shower (if I could I would spend an hour or more in that cramped little stall). Back to the shop... lol... I see a theme here on Rum. Friday night was the best yet... live music (squeeze box, guitar and bohdren (sp?)). I managed to make a drumset out of the weigh scale, the counter, and box of lollies and two pencils. It did the job.
Saturday: hung over. Went for a walk out on the point to clear my head and purge my system. Another beautiful day. I could see Skye, Sleat, Malliag and the southern mainland. Sat on a chunk of rock in a sea-side ruined village for over an hour doing what I do best... thinking. Pure magic. Back to the castle and dragged (twist my rubber arm) into the shop by Kim, the other castle worker who I had just met. This time I upgraded my drumset to include glass candle holders that delivered a nice 'ping' when struck with the same pencils from before. Fliss broke out a Scottish whistle and I was hooked... I have subsequently learnt 'auld lange syne' on mine. I put on a clinic at the pool table (mind you Kim wasn't very good) and then retired for the evening.
Sunday: the day of rest. another walk, then out on to the tidal flats to collect some mussels for lunch. A good idea gone bad... there was so much sand in them I was spitting out baby 'pearls' with each one. Leslie maintains there are crabs out there, but I'll hold off on my sea floor scrounging until someone can help me.
Monday: back to Harris to collect wood and clean up the place, awaiting myself and Annie's return. Decided to walk back to Harris early afternoon to get some exercise. About halfway there I met Leslie on the quad!!! It was fixed, and she was coming down to get some goat pics. I happily continued on my way, content in the knowledge that tomorrow I could blast out to Harris on my own steam. So I thought. Monday was Stuart's Bday (a fencer) so it was back to the shop for some celebration (don't worry, my finances are holding out fine... beans cost 35p a tin, leaving quite a lot for other sources of calories ;)
Tuesday: at Leslies by 8:30 to age some goat horns she has in a box. It was quite cool. The actual exterior of the horn is like a sheath over a boney prominence. Asked her a few more general questions and started off back home. Stalled the quad twice (it had sat for way too long) and about 10 minutes after the second time the gear lever went again. Luckily I was in 2rd at the time and managed to nurse it to Harris. It has been fixed and broken (not by me) again since... and I think it needs a new clutch now, as the lever has pretty much stripped the inside.
Wednesday: a rather misty day cut short by the arrival of Beck, John Alex's dog, who takes great pleasure in chasing goats up the hills and back to the cliffs, making it impossible for us to do our job. Ah well... we went for a walk instead.
Thursday: great day. no rain, no clouds, it was all goats baby. there's only a few I don't know now, so it's much more satisfying out on the hills. I can do activity budgets and vigilance samples, then take breaks to complete my sketches of each goat (for accurate ID'ing in the future). Finished my book on Freemasonry and the birth of the Royal Society (a great read, thanks Erin!) and started The Blank Slate by Stephen Pinker (thanks Mary!). Also read a review paper on mental time travel in animals. A very productive day.
Friday: back in town. walked again (let Annie nurse the quad back) and had another long shower to warm up. Currently in the Reserve Office re-acquainting myself with the real world. This week will feature a CV clinic put on by Leslie (she doesn't know it yet) and scholarship applications.

i've said it before and i'll say it again... i love this place.

a beautiful day

2006-01-25T19:28:00.000Z

it truely was... sunny, crystal clear (i could see N. and S. Uist in the distance) and a slight wind, which was from the north (meaning cold). Out at 8:30am to watch my pets, got to know a lot more of them today. Around 11 I followed Leslie around while she took pictures (I was 'goated out' by then... I can only learn about 6-7 per day or they all start to look the same again). I decided to take advantage of the day and walk into town for this evening's festivities (Robbie Burns day), since Annie was going anyway (home for the weekend). Tomorrow I volunteered myself to aid with the stalkers and guilles out in the hills. Most likely I'll be leading a pony, but maybe I can drag a deer or something cool.
Got up to relieve myself around 4am this morning and stood dumbstruck at the sky. Never have I seen such. If it wasn't for the numbing wind, I would have spent several hours out there... but my nice warm sleeping bag was calling.

another post Saturday...

and for christ's sake... a Conservative government??? Voters need to be slapped. but hahaha, I'm safe in Scotland.

wow...

2006-01-22T13:23:00.000Z

I wanted isolation, and that's exactly what I got :)

I'm safe and sound on the Isle of Rum. Got here tuesday afternoon and went to Harris Bay wednesday. The land rover is just barely able to make it over the track leading to my new home. We have a quad bike for trips back and forth but it's currently out of commission... Annie and I had a nice walk into town yesterday (2hrs, beautiful scenery).
The Bothy: rustic in every sense of the word. Four rooms (plus a kitchen and bathroom), wood floors (carpeted with 100 years of dirt and coal dust), and one fireplace. I sleep on a steel spring cot and read by candle light... I love it.
The first day was quite a shock, and I didn't get a wink of sleep as my mind was racing. But after walking around for several hours the next day I was good to go. The goats literally walk past the bothy each morning, so it's quite easy to track them. So far I've managed to learn the names of roughly 10... out of 70. Apparently it takes about 3 weeks to master it. Initially they were quite ugly brutes, but they've grown on me... and the little kids (about 12 of them) are adorable.
Friday was the best day I've had in a long time. The sun was shining, the sea was calm and I was at peace - I knew I made the right decision in coming here. Also, that night brought the first episode of uninterrupted sleep in over 2 years.
Last night I met the locals in the shop (10x10' store that somehow manages accomadate 20+ people, a counter, a fridge and all the islands food). Had my first taste of whiskey too - glenmorganie (?). meh... I don't see what all the fuss is about, I'll stick to my beer. I remember having a discussion with Sharon about evolution... she doesn't believe in it, rather, humans are unique and came from some sort of interplanetary mingling way back and the powers that be are keeping this knowledge from us. I kid you not. The conversation ended with me showing her my newest tatto and reaching for another beer. Played a few games of pool with Shuggy (just spelling it how it sounds) and then stumbled home to the castle.
I've heard that come march I may head out with the stalkers to do some researcher on other goat herds before they're culled (planting trees in that area). That means pletty of excercise and fresh air. Once the goats are killed I move in to take an ear (for DNA analysis) and kidneys (gauge body fat)... fun stuff :)

I may post another one this week when I pick up the vegetable order from town, if not... saturday for sure. Hope all is well back home, I think about everyone daily.

Ian

I'm going to enjoy this.

a 6 hr train ride awaits

2006-01-16T08:31:00.000Z

This might be the last post for several days (not much longer than a week though) as I'm now going 'off the grid'. Didn't sleep much last night as my mind was racing. Went to Chris's football match yesterday (still no goal, despite being promised several... remember Chris, the ball goes between the two white posts, not outside) and had a nice farewell dinner (and beverages). It's nice to know there's always a place for me in Scotland. If anyone's interested, here's some info on Mallaig (where I'm spending tonight).

until Rum....

ps... Mom & Dad: thanks for all the help in the last few days :)

Still game

2006-01-14T14:37:00.000Z

Bought my ticket to Mallaig today... online, as I was too lazy to make it to the station in person. This morning I finally got a UK bank account, although it's not going to help me much as there are no debit machines on Rum (they only accept cheque and unfortunately my account is a limited one). Last night was great fun - myself, George and Yvonne went to a hall for a party. A son of one of their friends is going to University in the States, and the night was an effort to alleviate the financial burden (raised over £1100). Maybe I should look into something similar ;)
My week is as follows: train to Mallaig on monday (traveling over that massive viaduct featured in the Harry Potter films), a night in a coastal B&B, then the ferry Tuesday morning to Rum. Annie and I have been invited a PHd Student's house on Rum for dinner when we arrive. Tuesday night will be spent in the Castle in Kinloch, as we need to wait for someone to drive our stuff out to the bothy in a land rover (while one of us takes the quad across). I'm getting restless, and ready to go... all my dreams are Rum based (the island, not the booze). I started a great book (Glencoe) about the infamous Glencoe massacres and it's providing me with a nice overview of Highland history... or at least the more bloody conflicts of the region. My broadsword is on order at Tescos.

I'll post one more before I head out... I'm thinking of you all back home :)

I must admit...

2006-01-12T09:15:00.000Z

this blog is working out quite nicely. It's great to hear from everyone, as it does get a tad lonely over here some times (bound to happen when you only know 4 people in the country). Thanks for your support, I love you all.

Ian

after much searching...

2006-01-10T14:47:00.000Z

I found a picture of the Harris Bothy... my new home

Also, I made some changes so anyone can post now (without registering). I'll see how it goes for a while.

Liverpool and Back

2006-01-10T11:13:00.000Z

Yesterday featured roughly 10 hrs of mass public transit on a return trip to Liverpool. I must say I feel much better about the whole project after meeting Dr. Dunbar and Annie. Annie seems really nice, although she took a while to warm up to me... must be my good looks and charming accent (that's what I tell myself). We sat and talked for about 2 hrs in Dunbar's office, going over the in's and out's of Rum. Apparently I'm not to engage in any of the local 'fights' that sometime erupt after a night of whiskey drinking, nor fall off the 1000' sea cliffs and break my leg like a Warden did a few years back (subsequently dying of exposure after 3 days). Lol. Don't worry Mom, the girls said there was only one fight (between two deer stalkers) and we don't work around the cliffs. They had nothing but positive things to say about their experience, and if it's misty out...we stay in.
Annie and I meet up in Edinburgh on Monday morning to catch the train to the coastal town of Mallaig, where we stay a night and catch the morning ferry to our home for 8 months. The good news is we are allowed to leave the island once and a while to prevent us from going mad.

Today I'm off to open my first offshores account, with the Royal Bank of Scotland ;)

Hearts 2 - Kilmarnock 1

2006-01-07T23:28:00.000Z

Went to my first football game today with Chris in Edinburgh... watched Hearts beat up on visiting Kilmarnock. We even managed to get ourselves on the tele, about 1/2 way through the second half. Been here 3 days and already famous. I'm waiting for the cheque.
True to form, it's been eat, drink and sleep since I arrived. I'm taking a few days off so I'm somewhat normal when making the trek to Liverpool on Monday to meet Robin and the now 'infamous' Annie.

more to come

New Address

2006-01-02T17:24:00.000Z

Ian MacDonald
Harris Bothy
Isle of Rum
via Mallaig
Scotland PH43 4RR

For those new to this blog

2005-12-31T19:45:00.000Z

This is going to be my primary means of communication for the next 8 months. With Internet access coming only once a week, it's a more efficient tool than email, as responses and comments can be posted and viewed by all. That said, I'm a newbie to all this myself... so it will largely be a work in progress.
Feel free to comment on anything... and include your favourite recipes for bread, soup (lentil please), and curried goat. You need to register with Blogger to post (to prevent anonymous posting), but it's a relatively painless process.

the prep work continues

2005-12-31T19:33:00.000Z

With less than 5 days on the continent I'm getting really excited, and a little nervous, about my upcoming adventure. This morning I secured a beautiful pair of Bushnell 10x H20 binoculars on my last trip to Canadian Tire for quite some time. From now on it's Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury and Morrisons for all my large item needs.