photos

Such a varied day. Started with domesticity and then off to my last Fringe show - 'Circolombia'. It was really good, if 15 mins shorter than billed - such energy, such athleticism, such skill.

Next, the Parliament for the Festival of Politics via the absolutely jam packed Royal Mile. There was a wedding at St Giles - almost a Fringe show in its own right! They could have charged a fiver, you know.

So, to the Parliament and #1 discussion on how the referendum will be reported. Interesting debate even if Joan McAlpine misjudged the mood towards the end. She thinks they've got it sown up, I'm not convinced.

#2 discussion on Twitter and the power of the tweet. I do have a twitter account but don't really use it or understand it. Graham Linehan was scathing, and a bit patronising about people who needed courses on Twitter and/or didn't know about all the functions on their PC keyboard. Well, I'm one of them and although I believe in self education and learning through discovery, sometimes it is much better and quicker to be given some instruction. The message seemed to be, it's not about broadcasting, it's about following and extending the community. Certainly as a social media user, blip, Facebook and the odd tweet, it made sense. The joy of blip is the following. Think Allan would have found it interesting, the bit about how do you gather together and access all the info from the different media and make sense of it.

#3 discussion, brilliantly chaired by Alan Little, was on war zone recording and reporting. A mesmeric film shot in slo-mo of a market in Helmand by the artist. One of the best things about Afghanistan I've seen. His and Alan Little's comments about the difficulty of preparing to go to a war zone and returning afterwards helped me understand what #1 son must have through, twice. Not sure we needed to handle the kevlar coated underpants though.

Had a quick look at the World Press Photo exhibition before a brisk walk to the New Town. It rained, nay it bucketed, from Princes Street so I was very wet before I got to the secret dining/supper club location but once there it was a great evening with SBC and good food too.

A bonus was discovering that L, mother of the chef, and I have 3 things in common (well 4 if you count our age), current status, a house in SW France (about 20 mins from each other!) and being JGHS FPs, a year apart. Lunch looms.

Busy day scheduled for tomorrow/today and I still have to organise the 'picnic'.