1. My earliest memory is being held up to a tenement window in Gourock and being told to "look at the boats"
2: I made my First Holy Communion in the doctor's daughter's hand me down dress
3:I am only here today because my father shouted my name seconds before I was about to step over a cliff at Dunotter Castle, nr Stonehaven, at the age of 10. I didn't know the cliff was there, obviously. I was a dreamy child.
4: Got an A for Higher Art thanks to "The Revolution Betrayed", my screen print of Comrade Trotsky. Later sold them all for a tidy profit. Sorry, Leon.
5: Left home aged 16 and went to London
6: The men in my family were seafarers and engineers. The women were all dressmakers who grew things.
7: Cal Williams, my talented cousin, was my teenage soulmate, inspiration and protector. I will treasure every memory of him
8: Thread count matters, polycotton is intolerable
9: One night as a barmaid in the Glasgow Savoy was one night too many...
10: Fate is for fools, you make your own luck. If in doubt, read Sartre's Existentialism and Freedom. Better than a life coach.
11: There are few true genuises in this world but Billy Connolly is one of them
12: I actually saw Dizzy Gillespie live in Ronnie Scotts. I was working as a telex operator at the time. Yes, I know it's hard to believe I'm that old...
13: First boyfriend also had ginger hair. Same length too. Arghhhh....
14: I'm a writer because people encouraged me, so thanks Pat Kane, Malcolm Clark, Rob Brown, Kate Muir, Stuart Cosgrove, Magnus Linklater, Bob Campbell, Kevin McKenna and Mark Douglas Home.
15: The Cheviot, The Stag and The Black Black Oil. BBC Scotland, late 70s. A life-changing cultural event
16:Perfect moments part one: finding sea potatoes on Islay's Big Strand
17: Perfect moments part two: Walking across hushed, deserted lava fields on the Big Island of Hawaii with Grace and Eleanor, 2004
18: I feign feminist disdain for diamonds, but cannot walk past Hamilton and Inches without going in.
19: Glasgow University: good times, good friends, good career move.
20: Knew I was an atheist after the Dunblane killings. Went up there to put down flowers, dropped into the chapel. Nothing. All gone.
21: Dream man? Sam Cooke, who else...
22: Scotland will be independent. Soon.
23: Heaven Must Have Sent You by The Elgins is the most uplifting song I can think of right now.
24:Grace and Eleanor, true love :-)
25: I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree
First time on site having followed your thoughts in the times and newsnetscotland.
I confess to being an admirer and wish you well in the coming elections.
Independence soon, I too hope.
Posted by: tearortwo | February 18, 2011 at 06:30 PM
Listened to you on ABC radio this morning here in Perth,WA.Thought I would like to hear more of you.Originally from Greenock have been in Australia since 1964 and 2011 will be my 70th year on this Planet!
Best wishes to you
from Janette Casey
Posted by: janette casey | January 01, 2011 at 12:36 AM
Hi Joan:
I keep surfing the web for Scottish happenings mostly political these days since things there seem to be heating up and then every once in a while I think, :|" What is Joan McAlpine up to these days? " and get a great deal of pleasure of reading your articles.
Thank you.
Alex Galt
Posted by: Alex Galt | September 10, 2010 at 10:17 PM
you spotted the deliberate mistake. Well done
Posted by: joanmcalpine | May 03, 2010 at 12:19 AM
Niggle - Item 10 - its Sartre, not Satre. And he's a bore, frankly.
I saw Dizzy G. live in New York. Also Miles Davis, I was with a black woman partner and Miles was quite conversational.(I'm a whitey).
At Ronnie's, I've seen Chet Baker (incoherent), Nina Simone (drunk) and Sonny Rollins (dominating).
I'm talking years ago..
I'm glad I've found your site. Bit accidental though.
Michael
Posted by: michael | May 02, 2010 at 11:12 PM