A Shetland blog thing

In response to:Gaining independence

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:32:29 +0100

i've ravelled all over the world but not reached shetland yet, have wanted to visit for years and in world terms its only up the road from me in london compared to other places i've been. I would love to see shetland go independent, what a great move for your islands and I think you could pull it off nicely. All the best Shetland.

In response to:Gaining independence

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:41:10 +0200

Hi - I was reading your blog and thought you might like to contribute to a new project we're running at the Sunday Mail. We're basically looking to get interesting people to write for a blog we're setting up.
We would like you to write a two or three wee entries a week updating us on what's going on in Shetland, or just your life generally. This would then be linked to dozens (hundreds?) of other blogs by people across Scotland, creating a new online community.
It would be unpaid but read by a lot of people and we'd be happy to give you as much advice and training as you required.
If you're interested give me a shout back and I'll give you a bit more info.
Thanks,

Steve

In response to:Gaining independence

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:40:45 +0100

Umm - Madame Mainland, I'm not convinced you read what I wrote - maybe you just read what you *think* I wrote?

try this bit for size

"the vast majority of people that I have met that have moved up in recent years are tremendous people that moved here because of a love of Shetland"

And how from:
"Shetland has also appealed to people that want to drop out of society, and get away from 'it all'"
Do you manage to get to the assumption that I think all mainland dwellers are desparate to get away from it all?

Feel free to comment again when you have actually understood the content.

In response to:Gaining independence

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:12:25 +0100

Seems you are more than slightly annoyed by incomers. It's clear that, along with regular supplies during bad weather, broadminded attitudes have also failed to reach the far north. With all that oil, Shetland islanders would maybe prefer to keep this 'black gold' to themselves. But without these 'incomers' how would its patriotic locals manage to raise it from the seabed?
Clearly you need to come to the mainland of your own country more often to observe that we are not all desperate to 'get away from it all', and that most Scots (like myself) enjoy a rather open minded, liberal and welcoming attitude to people of other nationalities.

In response to:Strange language

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 14:51:05 +0200

Interesting article about the Shetland language.

Shetlopedia.com are running a 'save the Shetland language' (or maybe it should be 'Preserve the Shetland language') campaign at the moment. They have a 'Shetland Dictionary Project' where anyone can add their own Shetland words and meanings. They already have a few hundred words and they're looking for more.

The Shetlopedia.com Shetland Dictionary Project

If you have any words to add, we'd appreciate them. Or just take a look around and read the words and definitions already posted.

Shetlopedia.com - The Shetland Encyclopedia

In response to:Sometimes, I should stop and think before I speak.

Mon, 08 May 2006 14:36:39 +0200

Inspiring little story. *g*

In response to:Strange language

Sun, 07 May 2006 17:01:54 +0200

'peerie'I knew, because it's used it the vocabulary of knitting (see my previous comments!) It means the small patterns that divide the larger stripes in the Fair Isle sweaters.

In response to:Gaining independence

Sun, 07 May 2006 16:59:59 +0200

Maybe she's the one I'm buying the wool from!!

In response to:Gaining independence

Sun, 07 May 2006 15:00:33 +0200

Hi leonora

I have a friend up here that started out the same way as you - she started buying shetland wool, then she came up to buy fleece. A couple more visits later and she and her hubby sold up and moved here, and now she has her own textiles business. You never know where an interest in shetland wool might lead.....

And the green party is sadly under-represented here ;)

In response to:Gaining independence

Sun, 07 May 2006 12:23:59 +0200

Well...I've never been to Shetland, but I buy Shetland wool directly from Jamieson's Knitwear, so I have a sort of interest...I mean, I LOVE Shetland and Fair Isle knitting.

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 14:37:52 +0200

Thanks. And your too modest, i noticed your dry wit from first reading :)

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 13:46:34 +0200

No. not in Lerwick, although I was brought up in Lerwick (I am not going to say where I am though, as I quite like the anonymity of the internet).

You have a very interesting blog BTW, I have had a look and it has SO much more substance than the majority of blogs (including mine, unfortunately) - not that I am saying that there are lots of inane ones out there or anything....

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 13:36:53 +0200

Funny I was gonna say Keiss after Lybster. Are you in Lerwick? I know a girl from Shetland, her name is Laura and lives in Aberdeen.

Closest i've been to your way is when I lived in Armadale on the north coast.

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 12:52:02 +0200

I have no problem with 'mainland trash' really - in fact I think I have relations down your way somewhere - Keiss I think (would that be spelled correctly?) - but I haven't met them - and I work with a guy from Thurso.

Ironically, I haven't been as far north as you - the furthest I have been on mainland Scotland is Golspie.

But the weather seems similar somehow - four seasons in one day :)

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 09:27:27 +0200

lol, and that could be a double entendre.. You mean the Shetland Isles? or the Blog? Dont answer that. Its not fair when mainland trash like me gatecrash your blog! :D

I'm on the east coast, and as you may know, a lot of the place names are derived from our Nordic invaders and colonisers, Thurso, Wick, Lybster, and so on.

Accents in Caithness and northern Isles are very different from those of west Sutherland.

Hope its sunny there sometime today anyway. Its sunny here, just now, but er you know that may change in ten minutes!!

In response to:Gaining independence

Sat, 06 May 2006 09:00:42 +0200

Seems that you have turned the hardships of isolation into a big success story.

Independence or not, you and your people will go from strength to strength.

Hope you take time to leave a comment or two at my blog.

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 08:53:21 +0200

Glad to hear it - I always think 'should I say things like this' - because it might just tempt people to come here - and we all know that there is more trouble in places with more people....

Well - other than Papa Stour, but thats another story....

In response to:Safety

Sat, 06 May 2006 08:11:15 +0200

Hello Shetlander!

Im a Caithness & Sutherland yin. Its safe here too.

In response to:Did he ever have a chance?

Fri, 05 May 2006 13:46:14 +0200

Very sad. And I would say, in view of your description of his family, no, he probably had no real chance.
I remember a few years ago, a headteacher of my acquaintance found she had a group of boys at her school who were glue sniffing. She sent for all their parents and promised she could stop it, with their help. She put a constant watch on the boys while they were at school - they couldn't go anywhere without a responsible person at their side. She asked the same of the parents - know where your children are at all times, and make sure someone is with them.
Some of the parents supported her and their children. Those boys stopped the sniffing. The ones whose parents declared they couldn't possibly keep tabs at all times, stayed on the drugs.

In response to:Point taken.

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:48:40 +0200

Go Shetland!

In response to:The most depressing place in Britain - allegedly

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 16:14:10 +0200

I didn't get impression he didn't like Shetland. There does seem to be research and anecdotal evidence that people in rural communities and with less sunlight tend more to depression and suicide. I can see he has commercial reasons for citing stuff he does, and I agree with you re percentage of mental health sufferers.
Would be interesting to hear your stuff on community spirit and whether you find people happier than elsewhere or not.
Good luck with the blog.

In response to:The most depressing place in Britain - allegedly

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:57:13 +0200

Wouldn't worry too much. No one will read it. And I'd guess most folk consider Shetland romantic.