How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog

So here goes.....the true entrance into narcissim. I'm leaving for Scotland in just under two weeks (!) for the whole summer. Since I'm generally pretty horrible at keeping in touch at the best of times, I thought starting a blog would be a self-centred and easy-for-me way to keep in touch while I'm away. We'll see how it goes. This is generally the type of project I start, enjoy for about two weeks, and never look at again. Clishmaclaiver is Gaelic for "chatter", and since that is my general email style, I figured it was as apt a blog title as any (plus you gotta love the alliteration).

I've been in touch with the National Library of Scotland, who is anxiously (not in a good way, I'm sure) anticipating my technophobic, never-used-an-archive-before-and-am-very-impatient arrival to the Blackwood's archive in the North Reading Room. I will be armed with pencil, laptop, and ID cards. I'm working on the patience.

I've recently learned that this year is the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns's birth, and as such, tourism Scotland has gone hog-wild advertising "Homecoming 2009". Check this out: (http://www.homecomingscotland2009.com/what-is-homecoming-scotland/robert-burns/default.html).

Thankfully, my Scottish angels (also known as Mr. and Mrs. McBride, Kirsteen's parents) have kindly offered to let me stay with them. This way I can i) avoid giant crowds of "I've been drinking whisky since 9 and moved on to Vodka and Irn-Bru by noon" so-called Scots "coming home" to Scotland and also ii) not have to resort to full-on pauperism upon my return, given the ghastly cost of accommodations because of this 'homecoming.'

So, I hope you'll check in once in a while. I'll try to post some photos of my travels (perhaps a photo or two of the library and of the Livingston train station...) and keep you posted on my research. Did I mention I've changed my dissertation topic to the relationship between whisky and Irn-Bru in Scottish cultural events?

xo