A free lunch??

I was intrigued to see that Coldplay are offering their new single as a free download - for the next few days. I guess it highlights the role of the single in the modern music scene, i.e. a tool to promote the album.

The single is called Violet Hill, and it's OK. It's from their soon to be released album called "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends".

I've got no idea what that's about, but since my iTunes library is currently organised by album name there's a weird juxtaposition as Coldplay fade out and Vivaldi's Trumpet Concerto strides in gustily.

I think the 'Viv' will be more enduring, but Violet Hill is growing on me the more I listen to it.

Tagging #2

OK, so I'm playing now...according to my rules! (Well, you didn't really expect me to conform that much, did you?)

AnneDroid's challenge:

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

1 - I was born in Australia

2 - I've always had a Scottish accent

3 - I have brown eyes

4 - I once had to stand and watch as a mechanic almost drove my car into Crail harbour (while my so-called friends - including the Fish Wife - were laughing their heads off!)

5 - I can juggle - with 3 balls and only 1 trick - but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks

6 - I have a degree in theology

7 - I'm happy with my life (but still endlessly restless)

And just for the sake of completeness - HGF's final question "What was I doing 10 years ago?"

Actually very similar to what I'm doing now.

Married to the Fish Wife (for almost 10 years at that time)

Playing with Dolly D - when that was still considered acceptable (by her!)

Doing the same job

Preparing nurture group studies

Living in the same house

Trying to conquer our garden

One significant difference - I was getting ill more often then, until I changed a few things in my life to sort that out. But more of that another time... or maybe in another place?

That's two armfuls!!

Aye - I know I've been here before - done the Hancock thing...

But I was back at Blood Suckers tonight -and gave a double helping. Honestly! They've got a new machine thingy that takes the blood out, separates the red cells, then puts the other bits back again. So you end up giving two lots instead of one. Apparently this is better for the ultimate recipient - to get two units from one person, rather than getting them from different people.

So they asked a bunch of guys who arrived at the same time as me if we fancied it - the rest opted for the dull, traditional way. But I wanted to give it a whirl. (My reckless side surfacing again!)

And I got to jump the queue!

And I got a lot of attention from two young women in uniform!

It also means that you have to wait 6 months between donations - but over a year you give a bit more than through the traditional method.

How cool is that?

There are limits as to who can do it - well, they don't want any common old blood! Actually, that is what they want - blood groups O and A; and there are height and weight issues, and blood iron levels. But if you get a chance - go on it's easy.

And as ever, I had the traditional Tunnock's tea cake afterwards - you cannae beat it! (When did they start doing plain choclate tea cakes?)

The Scots version of YouTube?

Over dinner tonight I had to chastise Dolly D for verbally abusing her mother.

The radio was playing in the background (the excellent Bryan Burnett's 'Bring it on'). I heard a song that I loved - Ann Peebles version of I Can't Stand the Rain - see below. The Fish Wife (knowing how my mind works... well, up to a point!) said words to the effect:

"Your dad will be straight on to Amazon to download that after dinner."

The response was a dismissive - "Amazon! You mean, iTunes - ya choob!" At least, that's what I heard. Dolly D claims to have said and meant something different - a likely tale!

[For the benefit of non-Scots or anyone else struggling to make sense of this, the dictionary of the Scots Language contains the following definition:

TUBE, n. Add variant choob. Term of abuse for a person.

*Gsw. 1992 Ian Pattison More Rab C. Nesbitt Scripts 147: NESBITT. It's me! It's yir Da! BURNEY. I know it's you, ya tube!]

Unfortunately I was too slow to wheel out my 'you'll be grounded 'til you're 38 speech', as I was desperately trying to remember the name of the singer that started all of this. Luckily I know how the Fish Wife's brain works (... well, up to a point) so I knew that she would remember.

All of this nonsense has now got my brain working - what would other well-known websites be called if they were named in Scots? Any suggestions?