Ari and Lizzie

Hello,

In which I talk politics at length in point 1 (tagged a couple of folk for interest):
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1. So, our international readers: there was a referendum. Stupid 68% of people voted against electoral reform. There was also a Scottish parliament election. To non-Scottish readers: We now have an SNP Government. We did before, but this time, much more so. They didn't actually have a majority before, but they had more than anyone else had, so were allowed to be in charge anyway. But now the other parties have lost so many seats that the Tory, Lib Dem AND Labour leaders are all stepping down in shame.

Here are my thoughts on the election:

It's an odd kind of landslide, because, as far as I can see, it's not really about overwhelming support for the SNP. I think the most prevailing rationale for voting SNP was:

1. I'm not bloody voting Tory: I'm Scottish and we hate the wee bastards
2. I'm not bloody voting Lib Dem: they're the wee other bastards that got in bed with the Tories
3. I'm not bloody voting Labour, they screwed things up royally
4. Actually, the SNP are doing alright so far. Yeah, okay then. 

Few people seem to actually *like* Alex Salmond. I personally suspect him to be a pelican; one day he will open his smug wee mouth fish will fly out in every direction. Maybe he's got Nemo in there, and that's what makes him so self-satisfied.

It's making me really appreciate PR. I'm not going to go into the Scottish electoral system at length but: We have 73 constituencies, each of which has an MSP elected to it. There are then 8 regions throughout Scotland who each then get an additional 7ish MSPs who represent the area. In the previous 3 elections (the Scottish parliament being fairly new) there hasn't been a majority government.

I actually have no problem with coalitions and minority government - I think it can make for a more balanced and representative approach to government (although the current UK coalition is bollocks, because the two parties' political stances are so wildly different). But:

• To get a majority government under PR really must mean that a significant majority of people want that government.
• By the same token, if we only had the constituency MSPs, 75% of MSPs would be SNP, making them all-powerful, with 20% Labour and no-one else meaning anything. When they only had around 50% of the vote, that doesn’t seem right. But because we have other parties from regional votes, they have only a little more than 50%. Given that they had around 50% of the vote, this seem fair and, well, proportional, to me.

Although all the evidence is that support for the SNP does not translate into a public demand for independence, David Cameron (Tory UK Prime Minister/evil robot) is the single strongest weapon the SNP have for Scottish independence. He said "If [the Scots] want to hold a referendum, I will campaign to keep our United Kingdom together, with every single fibre that I have." Given that most people in Scotland would like nothing better than to see Cameron's fibres stretched out across Hadrian's Wall, that quote'll be going on the 'Yes' flyers, then. I'd rather have a pelican than a robot (which was the alternative title to this week's blog)

Nicola Sturgeon really needs to use some of her new found power to get a haircut.

I actually spoilt my ballot, because I couldn't decide. I was tempted to vote SNP, but the Labour guy we have - Malcolm Chisholm - is a good guy. This is testamented by the fact that he's now the only non-SNP MSP in all of Edinburgh.

Here are pictures and graphs I made. The whole country's gone yellow.

2. Talking of yellow, I painted the newly-emptied study. It's now the same colour as the rest of the house and this, combined with its emptiness, makes it look twice as big (It's not entirely empty, just not filled with crap)

3. Helped with marking (and fact-checking) at the Hearts & Minds quiz. Great to see everyone, and meet the New Sarah (whose name is actually Clare). The Traverse quiz team I’m technically part of was there too; lovely to see everyone.

4. Registered for Aquafit. At a tutor’s meeting at Leith Academy last week, I discovered that I get a free class per term. Water based exercise is my favourite kind, so I start a ten week course on Thursday. I will also be trying my best to make it to Zumba on Tuesdays, partly because I have not only Emily but also now Fiona guilting me into doing so. By the time I finish at Edinburgh Uni I’ll be able to climb the stairs (fourth floor) without being out of breath. I will!

5. Talking of Edinburgh Uni, (see how seamlessly linked my blog is today?) they’ve given me full time work for a little while, Really don’t know how long ‘a little while’ might be, but they’re trying to get me on a more permanent contract, at least. It’s not massive security, but it’s a start and I really like it there and they seem to like me, too.

6. I also got accepted as a home online copy-editor for a company who may or may not be a bit dodgy. Still, anything I get from them is bonus money, particularly if I’m working full-time, and I do love doing it.

7. Spent a lot of time moving things in and out of Warriston Road – moving Erin out on Thursday and moving John in yesterday. I should start my own removal business. As long as people understand I don’t like heavy lifting.

8. Went back to the doctor for a follow-up appointment and it was so nice. I saw my own doctor and he was lovely. I was very late being seen, and I was prepared for a quick ‘I was told to make a follow up appointment, but I’m fine now’ ‘Ok, bye then’, but he properly sat and talked to me for about fifteen minutes about how I was feeling, and what support I had, making me laugh and recommending a book which he said wouldn’t revolutionise everything but might help a wee bit. I mentioned in passing about the locum I saw and his iphone and he said ‘Yes, well, thanks for your feedback, he won’t be coming back.’ I get the impression they had a hard time all round with him.

It’s a shame I didn’t get to see my regular dude the first time, because he gave me what I really needed then. But at least I did see him. Though things are looking up generally anyway, I felt a million times lighter and better about the world when I came out of there.

I just spent a long time writing this, and Live Journal (which I intially write it in) deleted the whole thing. Fortunately didn’t take as long to rewrite as it did to write. Hope I haven’t left too much out. Grrrrrrrr.

Rock on,

Lizzie xxxxx

Hello,
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1. So, after last week's melt down I went to see a doctor. He was pretty unhelpful on the whole. He was a locum who I think had been pulled out of retirement. He strongly reminded me of if someone had asked John Wilson's dad if he would mind terribly being a doctor for the day, as they were a bit short handed. But less compassionate.

Me: So, I'm very badly depressed.
Him: Ah! Right! Now. Dr R said to me this morning that if anyone came in with depression, I was to ask them these questions'
Attempts to find relevant thing on computer, failed and takes out his iphone. Asks me a series of questions, this test here, easily found in a number of forms of the internet. I point out that the flaw to this test is that it asks 'over the last two weeks, and the answers are very definite yeses to all the questions, every day for five days, but that two weeks ago I was fine. I get quite pissed off. He doesn't seem to get it, but offers me antidepressants, and my answer is a clear 'No fucking way'. 

The good news is he signed me off sick for two weeks. Of course it's a bit odd, given that I'm self employed, but I feel that it's bought me permission to just have a wee bit of respite and be off sick and try and take care of myself.

I'm feeling much better than I was. My sleep patterns are still messed up, and I'm not liking going outside, but I'm more anxious than depressed now, mostly. Ari, as ever, has been a beacon of wonder and support.
 
2. Took advantage of the time off to sort out the study and the house generally. Tidying helps me with brain stuff, like I'm tidying my head, too. The study is now unrecognisable. We're taking down all the big shelves, and then we can finally paint it. We put a whole load of stuff in the attic (which has been a revelation to us both; there's so much space up there) and sorted a *lot* of things to give away.