Of Eigg, The Village and Saint Me

At the weekend a mate came round and we dedicated ourselves to trying to find figures re Scottish Independence.

It's not easy. Even if I was any kind of statistician it would be difficult, but the GERS figures all seem to be based on estimates, and how can that be, when we are dealing with what should be known amounts from as far back as 2014? I'm really confused by the whole thing. We need to study further.

The conversation didn't stay focused on such dry stuff. Somehow we moved on to the issues of land ownership in Scotland, and my friend started talking about drives towards Community Land Ownership, as happened on the island of Eigg. (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/26/this-island-is-not-for-sale-how-eigg-fought-back)

I see the fairness and charm of it; Eigg holds a ceilidh each year to celebrate its community owned status, and my friend has just invited me to join her in attending it. But Eigg was mismanaged for years before it was sufficiently depleted in value for the islanders to be able to buy it, even with donations and support. Much as I see merit in the idea, how to bring it about for other parts of Scotland would be a puzzler.

My friend may possibly be a little sentimental about the ideal of The Village.

Naturally averse to crowds, used to being solitary, the idea of a place with enough space to feel alone and yet kindly people nearby appeals greatly to her. When I write it like that, it appeals greatly to me. But I am wary of The Village. In a big city, if you don't like a community, you go find your own, and you can be sure it's out there. The Village can be very small, intellectually as well as topographically, and there is no guarantee of kindness. Eigg's community, with a certain level of hippydom at the root, might be different of course.
It would be good to go.

Thing is, it's in June, which is also the month R and I are celebrating 20 years together. The plan was to go to somewhere like Heidelberg/Dubrovnik/Pula. I can't see two long weekend holidays in the same month working out for him, and in any case, if he isn't wildly keen, it seems wrong for our anniversary celebration to be somewhere that doesn't mutually interest us.

So no Dark Skies event, probably no Eigg Ceilidh. When the hell am I going to the Islands of the West?

It will happen of course. I am going to deserve a reward for my great virtue in:

a)Not punching all Brexiters.
b)Not punching random Right Wing Twats
c)Not punching random Left Wing Twats
d)Not punching random Corbyn-hating lefties who consider any form of debate Anti-Semitism
e)Not punching random Corbyn-loving lefties who consider any form of debate Fascism
f)Not punching most Tories
g)Not punching anyone who complains about paying for a TV license because the output is 'not what I want to pay for.' (Answer: Until someone re-animates Goebbels to make him Director General of the BBC, you ain't ever gonna love your tv screen. Shaddup.)
h)Not punching anyone who offers me one of those insanely stupid Brexit commemorative 50 pence coins.
i)Being polite to those who have irritated me recently (Yes, I know, mainly an extension of a through h but not always)
j)Getting my latest piece of work finished.
k)Eating less bread.
l)At least trying to understand the GERS figures.

Faced with a list like this, it's clear I am almost a saint.