Bread is Awesome! Some say it is solid Beer...

Toast! Aaa-aaaah! Saviour of the universe!

After many weeks and months of baking my own bread I succumbed to laziness and bought a loaf of 'Everyday Value' bread from Tesco, my mood cheering with the thoughts of quick and easy toast, melted butter and cold toast. This morning I cracked it open, obviously today is an 'every' day, nothing special, and I was dissapointed, this just isn't the same as what I was hoping for, oh well, it will be finished soon.

The rebranding of Tesco's value range has jogged something in my mind though. It's quite an interesting marketing move to limit your products away from the special occasions, are they telling me that I need to spend more money on my occasions because that thoroughly confuses me. If you are having a party, you want quantity in order to have enough for everyone, so you want cheap and cheerful, not their finest dinner party range.

Eight slices later, four in toast and butter form, four in tuna and watercress sandwich style, my craving may just be satiated… wait a minute, I have vegemite in the cupboard. Toaster prepare! 

I slide deftly across the floor, the bread arcing through the air and slotting succintly in the toaster, as the bread drops smartly into place my fingers take hold of the plunger and provide just enough force to drop the lever, too much and it would bounce back, too little and the ridiculously tempestuous toaster would refuse to heat my bread (we really need a new toaster, along with the kettle that boils half of its water away so that you need to fill the kettle for just one cup, I can hear the environmentally friendly sorts crying as I continue). A short hop and slide, my hand pulls open the fridge, my foot grasping the cupboard handle, my balance falters as my fingers fumble the buttery margarine (oh how I miss real butter) but in a moment of excellence I grasp both, the cupboard swings open, my elbow closes the fridge, I pivot on my toes and triumphantly waltz to the plate with vegemite and margarine in hand. Swipe, spread and slash my toast is prepared and I relax with my delightful snack.

Thoughtful Texts

This may at first appear to be an odd idea but if we review books and films, why not newspapers and magazines?

For almost a decade now I have found that the majority of my reading material, day to day and travel-wise is not the hard or soft bound variety of literature, low on images, and often high in intellect. It has instead been the world of glossy pages, technical jargon and eye-wateringly beautiful and envy-invoking images. The first jaunt the world of gaming; demo-discs and pixels, genre specific vocabulary, wish lists and virtual worlds. While still a hobby and an interest I moved on and the more recent subject matter revolve around physical sports, dirt, snow and skate, 'gnarly' documentations of 'sick' tricks, and yes I've spouted my fair share of 'valley-guy' terms to the detriment of my apparent brain-cells.

More recently my eye has been caught by the matte, the uniquely designed and the intellectually thought out. I have been lucky to come across some great publications by accident and in other cases great articles in the still-glossy renditions, intelligent thought provoking articles that encourage my own desire to increase the intelligence of the reading material that fills our newsstands and our hands. I'm sick of people buying the garishly coloured, predictable, fame-fuellers that unnecessarily idolise normal people (perhaps some justly).

This is not a negative piece though and I understand the inherent demand for simply-written material, we are all in need of a great story of plot and convenient understanding occasionally. 

My thoughts began with a cleverly written article discussing the changing world of photography in action sports, more specifically snowboarding and it led me to analyse it after it proved to avoid the pitfalls of typical 'old vs new' debates. The images where clearly in a balance with the words in terms of strength, importance and quality. A film magazine caught and held my attention with a brightly coloured, artistic cover and despite the price, I was sold. The following day my sister presented me with an equally well illustrated edition of Ride.

The article in Little White Lies discusses the horror genre and brings up the 'cult/non-mainstream' side of attraction or consequence and to a certain extent that increases the charm of these publications themselves, they aren't the common appearance and they don't scream everyday, they are something to be read slowly and fully understand.

Ok, so these are expensive reads, but the gorgeous detail, minimal bludgeoning advertising and high quality lends to their longevity, they are read in segments, often without specific order and they take on a role more akin to coffee table books than glossy mags, for one I'd be very disappointed to spill tea on these and I probably wouldn't be comfortable slicing them up to stare at from my bed, despite their gorgeous detail.

They may appear pretencious and 'hipster' or 'trendy' or just too cool for the new alternative but I'm sick of pidgeons and their holes. Lets continue with this high quality of easily accessible writing and penned thought. Hell, scantily clad ladies done in this format would be considered art if viewed on the train, bus or any other public situation, that's as good a reason as any to get behind this idea - the MetArt of the magazine world. 

Travelling by Train

     Standing on the platform I'm excited, nervous and I wonder when was the last time I was on a train? It may have only been in January but I was distracted by pretty German girl that I was helping to find her way to Dundee from Edinburgh airport and it was the final leg of a journey I wanted to finish. Today on the other hand I am going cross-country, last week a bit of Facebook correspondence alerted me to the fact my sisters would be together, one travelling up from London to Dalbeattie and without a moment's thought for my constantly dwindling finances I booked tickets. 

     

     The smell of grease, iron oxide and hot mechanics is sending my brain into overdrive; first to the cycle ride down to the docks I enjoyed last week, the orange dust spread across the road, images of abandoned mills and factories clash with the feeling of being so small amongst great constructions of industrial ages, huge smooth bearings and grease! I am a young child walking around Beaulieu or the National Transport Museum or I'm rooting through my parent's garage, pulling out old pots and pans, objects with history and charm.

     I suppose I was always a little bit steampunk from a young age. Plastic is such a boring material, yes it is fantastically strong and versatile but the class and character of metal: brass, steel, aluminium - shining, dull, brushed - cold and clinical but gorgeous (probably half the reason I own an all aluminium mac. If I could have a laptop or a phone made of wood I would.)

     I'm looking out the window and I remember why I love catching trains, despite the expense its a fantastic way to see the scenery and Scotland is a great place for scenery, every time I head down to Edinburgh to catch a plane, I'm reminded of the gorgeous country I live in, the coastal line is grand and fantastic, particularly with bright blue skies and hot sunshine but just as impressive with imposing, brooding clouds darkening the sky with their equally gorgeous purple bruising the landscape. Every time I come back to Dundee I'm just as equally reminded of the fantastic place I have returned to.

     

     Today, however I am taking another of my favourite routes, not only because it means I will see my sisters, and it would usually mean festival time too but because the scenery changes, I get so close to where I lived for the first nine years of my life so I see Perth Swimming pool, the Ochils, Stirling Castle and the Great (Bright!) Hall, Glasgow, Carlisle …… and Dumfries. (I didn't mean for this to become an episode Great British Rail Journeys, although maybe I could do that, any volunteers for the voice over?)

     I always see wildlife, eleven o'clock, one hour and eight minutes in and I have seen rabbits, foxes, lambs and their mothers (no gambolling today) and the rare breed of contented train traveller (maybe it was just my reflection in the window). And last time I did this journey I was also greeted with hawks, pheasants and probably more that I simply can't remember. The scenery streams past and lulls me into moments of dozing. I perk up to realise the sun has returned as I near my destination, the heat revives me and the great tunes pumping into my ear refresh the excitement I felt this morning, awesome times are going to be had , it'll be great to see my sisters! :D

     Just as I was thinking about that last sentence I looked out the window and was pulling into Dumfries station. Ah! almost missed my destination, but it was quite ok as I quickly stuffed my laptop away and got off to meet my wonderful sisters. 

     We went for a little drive, deliberated over some new technology for my entrepreneurial sibling, a quick visit to a nicely converted farm for summery drinks and a play on the swings before munching on half a pint of prawns with a local beer, Criffel, enjoying the relaxed scenery of the Urr Estuary, blue skies and warm conversation.