Yesterday, like many other people in Scotland, I sat down to a New Year's Day meal with my family. We were 11 in number, ranging from 15 months to 89 years, 4 generations. It was a simple meal and a simple day and yet a very special day. The first day of a New Year. We simply were together, we shared a meal, conversation, played a few games and shared thoughts re New year Resolutions.

So what was special about it? Well for our family, as I suspect for many other familes in today's world, it is not that easy to be together physically because we live in different parts of the country or the world. Our gathering included people from the East and West Coast of Scotland and folks who now live in Cyprus. We gathered in a house that has been connected with the family since the 1920s when it was newly built and we have gathered round that same table for all sorts of celebrations. Ah that table- children have performed on top of it as a stage and crawled and hidden under it - it's a good sturdy old oak table.

New Years day began with old and new friends in Leith where I live watching the fireworks over Edinburgh. Later in the day I was in the company of George Wyllie the scupltor. George is also a philosopher and yesterday we were talking about his 'Day down a Goldmine' production and reflecting on the world today with financial crisis and doom and gloom everywhere. George's comments? " nothing has changed" " The sun still shines" are absolutely spot on and the sun was indeed shining in Gourock where he lives overlooking the river Clyde.

To be in the company of old and new friends and 4 generations of my family on the East and West coast of Scotland all on one day - and New year's Day at that is a rich experience and a privilege. It is a privilege to know and talk with someone like George Wyllie who personifies for me the Scots. The practical 'can do' ability with intuitive thinking and action. To be in the company of my family with that range of experience and knowledge from 15 months to 89 years is also a privilege but do we realise how much knowledge and information is in the room and do we tap into it? While we talked, the 15 month old was picking up a phone and making herself comfortable in a chair while she smiled and said "hi". A rehearsal for the real thing and a lesson in learning. A day rich in experiences of people and places which augurs well for the rest of 2009. Imagine a Scotland where we come together and acknowledge the contribution of all, the confidence and energy of youth with the experience and wisdom of age.

Well it's that time of year again here in Scotland. It's grey, cold and misty outside. It's hard to describe the feelings that this ritual brings out in people. I believe it's quite a different feeling from Christmas but that may just be me, although someone has just expressed that to me on the phone this morning. People tend to have clear preferences for one of the other. It's the two together that tend to be a bit of a killer in terms of emotions, finances, relationships, energy levels. There is usually much scurrying about in the homes,streets and shops as people get ready to see the old year out and the New Year in with wishes for health, happiness and all to be provided for. e.g.the coal, shortbread and blackbun, not to mention the whisky being to the fore. I started my hogmanay as I do every day with some spiritual readings. The last couple of mornings I have also added a dose of Ian Hamilton from his Stone of Destiny book. Very appropriate reading at this time of year as the action takes place between Xmas and New Year in 1950 Britain which is cold,grey and icy. I recommend the book to you. A short, easy read full of action and inspiring thoughts. Here are a couple to whet your appetite.

" You do not play games with the symbols of your country, whether they be man, stone or trinkets"

"I am a simple Scot and I want my country to take its place in Europe and in the world. We Scots are European, not English, not British."

Of himself and his companions who took the stone Ian Hamilton says " We who took the stone willed our people to defend our country. We were idealists. We were grievously young. I have never changed" I can identify with those words.

The book also contains a quote from King George V1 address to the nation of Christmas Day 1940 - a great quote to see out the old year and welcome the New Year.

"I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, Give me a light that I may tread out into the unknown and the man said to me, Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God, for it is better than a light, and safer than a known way"

A hopeful Hogmanay to you all. For those of you in other countries around the world it would be interesting to know how the last day of the old year is marked or celebrated.

This morning I set off early to purchase a tree-keen to get a good price and checked out a couple of places. A corner shop, not in my locality and a more specialised looking outfit who had set up in a carpark nearby. In the latter case the lights were on and I thought I saw movement in their hut but was not sure they were open. I called back a bit later and they were sort of open, i.e. they were there but did not look keen and also directed me to a list on the wall re sizes and prices. Then the final nail in their coffin-they said they were not really open yet, so I said that I would come back. I did not go back!

I did go back to the corner shop and I purchased the tree I had had my eye on. The shopkeeper responded right away to me and when I realised that it was going to be too heavy for me to carry back to the car-he offered a solution. Bring your car to here he said pointing to an area of roadworks and I will pass the tree over the fence for you. Now feeling more happy I raced off for the car and did as he suggested. He was as good as his word and also climbed over the fence to help me put the tree in the car and wished me well.

Retailing is hard and this shop I have frequented before, they are open all hours and the whole family work there The other tree sellers were from out of town, obviously did not care and were more focused on the fact that they were not open yet than their customer or their sale. Key messages for retailers and sales staff.

Final lesson for me. I did not buy a Bethany Xmas tree this year which has the added bonus of having non shedding needles and also helps the homeless. I may live to regret this decision come 5th January but for now I am happy to have supported a local retailer in tough times.

Imagine a Scotland where retailers and customers appreciate each other.

I sometimes deliver flowers from the local church to folks living in the area. Here in Leith there are a large number of care homes, sheltered accommodation etc where older men and women live either in small flats or rooms.

In the busy lives people live these days, you might say, I do not have the time to do that - deliver flowers-and in any case -what if they want me to stop and chat!?

I recall reading a letter from a care home manager pleading for those who delivered the flowers not to just drop them in but to stay a while and chat. I do that when I can and also when I sense the person may welcome it - not everyone does of course.

What I have noticed is that some of those that I visit have all they need in terms of 'things' and 'food' but they welcome the company as the days can be long in separate rooms or flats. While communal living might not appeal to everyone, there might also be advantages to it in that hopefully there is conversation and interaction or something stimulating to see or respond to.

Today I visited two men, both of whom have family living nearby and who visit regularly.

While I go bearing a gift i.e. the flowers and hopefully a new face and some interesting conversation, I always come away with a gift or gifts! Well they do say it is better to give than to receive and these folks are living proof of that. I can come away with sweets, cakes, fruit but the gifts I treasure most are their stories. I shared experiences and stories of Wick today - of places and pastimes like fishing and buying a firkin of herring.

At Christmas time we tend to be focused on gifts and I heard a couple arguing over a suitable gift for someone they did not know well. Someone expressed it well yesterday for me - " I do not want "things" as gifts. " Consumables" are better but best of all are " experiences" as they not only provide pleasure at the time but live on in the memory and can be replayed, again and again and again.

It is ironic that there are lots of people whose lives are too busy and who might wish they had time to meet and talk with friends and neighbours and there are people for whom the days are long and for whom a visit , even a short one might be the highlight of the day. These two groups of people have so much to say to each other and so much to share about life. A good starting point are the people and places they care about. The gift of time and companionship is priceless. Imagine a Scotland where people have time for each other.

Tonight I ventured out to a musical evening with a difference held in a local school in Leith. It was a qualifying competition organised by Leith Rotary Club for the " Young musician of the year" with 9 young people from Edinburgh Schools taking part. The audience were treated to violinists, a pianist, a flautist and a number of vocalists.

Pieces composed by Vivaldi and Debussy alongside popular favourites like 'I could have danced all night' to 'Fly me to the Moon' and 'Lullaby of Birdland' with accompaniment from dedicated teachers.

Leith Academy had an impressive turnout of 4 participants and were a credit to their school and community.

This is the 4th year of this competition and I would recommend it to you for shedding light and hope for the future on gloomy November days. I am just sorry I did not take a short video so that you could hear a snippet of the talent that was there tonight. Watch for these names in future years and as the competition goes on. Sean Kernan on flute, Richard Jackson vocalist were the winners on the night with Isla Ratcliff on violin as runner up. Imagine a Scotland full of such music making.

Today I was with neighbours who were celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. 60 years married and lived all that time in Leith. They have seen many things come and go, like the sheep being driven along the road outside to the docks. Some might say its flat dwellers and shoppers who make their way here now. The post office delivery works well when you are the Queen and the card is from Buckingham Palace. It was delivered this morning and the time was specified and it worked!

The weather was wild and stormy outside, the perfect day to be inside celebrating with friends and family and hearing stories. Stories of weddings being arranged in a sea faring family when the ships came in, of wedding cakes being only possible because of people donating their rations.

Time to pause and reflect on 60 years committment, all the things that have changed in that time. How many brides of 60 years could still get into their wedding dresses with no problem at all! Persevere is Leith's motto and this Leith couple have certainly persevered. Imagine a Scotland where people and organisations committed and persevered as much as this. Happy 60th to a fascinating couple and wonderful neighbours.

The week ended with a last trip on the Waverley Paddle Steamer for the 2008 season. A cruise from Greenock to Arrochar, Loch Long and Loch Goil took in the autumn colours, sunshine, showers and lots of experiences as usual.

There is a community on and off the Waverley- a love of the ship and the river that binds people together. Two of this community are the treasurer of the company that keeps this whole ship afloat and his wife who, along with a team of volunteers, keeps the on board shop stocked with Waverley hats which keep people warm and raise much needed funds.

In addition to this regular community, there are people who come for the first time, perhaps the couple pictured with the rainbow. You also meet old friends. I first met Alan and Jack his son in 2004 at an event called Imagine Inverclyde in Greenock town hall. I met them again yesterday. The Waverley does that, it brings people together. Its important to introduce the next generation to the Waverley experience, so well done Alan for bringing Jack.

In additon to people, the trip offers sea breezes, views of the hills and shores - contact with the environment and provides pleasure and relaxation in a way that more modern types of travel do not. Try it - mark it in your diary for next year as a MUST DO. If you want to stretch your legs , get off at Blairmore Pier and congratulate the local people who reopened the pier, run the shops near the pier and organise events in the local hall. A lively community working together to sustain and create the things they care about.

Its goodbye to the Waverley until next year but the wee sea bus which runs from Greenock to Kilgreggan and Helensburgh is another possibility. Lots of ways to enjoy the river and the different perspectives that it offers. The Waverley and Blairmore Pier are only there because of enthusiasts who love what they do and care about their communities. Lots and lots of hard work are involved too. They deserve your support. A fund raising concert is planned for the end of November in Glasgow for the Waverley.

A great way to end the week - on the Waverley with people like the Waverley volunteers and Alan and Jack- the salt of the earth and Scotland's future. Jointhetrip

It was December/January 2002/03 that I first came accross Rabbies trailburners. Somehow-oh so easily- a colleague and I became responsible for a drama group from Chicago coming to perform and tour in the UK for the first time with venues in London and Edinburgh. I needed a way to tranport them from the airport into Edinburgh and more specifically to Leith where they were to stay. Someone I rated mentioned Rabbies to me and without knowing what I was going to say or dare ask for, I rang them up and spoke to Derek who very quickly sussed what I was about and instantly offered it. I was gobsmacked! Derek explained that he worked and lived in Leith by choice as he recognised that here was a real, live community. He understood what we were trying to do in bringing this community drama group to Leith to perform and so Rabbies trailburners collected Scrap Mettle Soul at the airport giving them a great welcome and their all important first taste of Scotland. When I later spoke to the MD of Rabbies, Robin Worsnop, I could tell that he was a 'can do' person and that that attitude ran thru his company. Since then Rabbies has grown from strength to strength and is now a five star tour company. See more at www.rabbies.com Located in Edinburgh's High Street, they are right at the heart of the action this festival time. Go see what they do and how they do it. Imagine a Scotland with more and more companies like Rabbies who are rooted in their communities and have a heart. Rabbies

http://picasaweb.google.com/mewimagine/Bigbandnightatargyllsutherland/photo#5227056548565459298

Today I heard a description of a day in the life of a social worker in a families and childrens department where the top priority is child protection. There was much there that was not working well and it was not a fairy story of happy families. It also shed light on the lives and pressures on social workers doing this work. Despite it all, the person relating the story talked of their passion and love for their work despite the circumstances. Long days, stresses and strains, working with the bureaucracy and having to reshuffle diaries and arrangements when child protection takes priority. The story revealed the darker side of life and humna nature and what young children today often live with each day and have therefore as the building blocks of their future lives.

Yesterday was a sharp contrast to the story today. I was involved in a barbecue and family gathering to celebrate the first birthday of a little girl who is part of a happy nuclear and extended family. She was showered with gifts and love and I sincerely hope that she continues to be showered with lvoe throughout her life.

So what does appreciative inquiry have to say to us about these situations? It tells us that they both exist, they are both real, and that in each situation something works and can be built upon for the future. There are lots of people and agencies out there supporting and workign with families and children. They need whole communities helping and supporting them. We are all responsible for the society that we live in and responsible for making it a better place for the future generation to grow up in.

What one small or simple step could you take today or tomorrow that would help towards that?

Came accross this link to a short session at the Scottish Parliament earlier this year and again today and its too good not to share with you. Tony Benn Its Tony Benn doing a time for reflection and it has a lot to teach us for ourselves and for the world we live in today. Its brief, its clear, it has humour and wisdom, its about experience and most of all its about lessons for life. Tony tells some stories from his past and his own life experience and reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters, he talks about religions and states and the great moral decisions. He says we have the means to address the world situation - its the choices we make that matter. As they say -its simple but not necessarily easy to do. Listen, watch and enjoy a master of communication.

Have a look at the collection of signs and images here and see which ones bring you joy or a smile to your face. A few newspaper headlines there for good measure. I know which ones bring a smile to my face. I wonder what the intention of each is, what did the person who created these images want to do?

The person who created the headline, the person who planted the rose and the person who owns the dog.

Imagine a Scotland where there were more headlines and signs that brought a smile to your face.

On Friday 4 July I was up in Blairgowrie, Glenshee,Braemar and Ballater. The weather was incredible, sunshine, blue skies and hot! So hot it was hazy. The countryside was looking great. The contrast of the heather with the Scots Pines very special.

This is a part of the world that I love having spent some happy holidays there. First attempts to ski in Glenshee-no blue skies and sunshine then I am afraid-only cold and wet and I managed to ski over the the road in front of a lorry. Also recalling fabulous meals at the Green Inn in Ballater which I see is in the Michelin guide. No visits to the Green Inn on this occasion, no time and it has changed hands since I was there last, but the menu and the whole place look very inviting. If you do decide to go the Green Inn, it is only open in the evenings. On Friday, to refuel, I had a relaxing picnic lunch in a quiet spot in Braemar listening to the birds and with a rabbit as my lunch companion. I returned over the Cairnamount Road coming back the fast way down the coast via Dundee back to Edinburgh. Scotland at its very very best. Does the soul good.

What places in Scotland hold happy memories for you? Go visit them and enjoy them this summer. You and Scotland deserve it. join me in Braemar and Ballater

When visiting a relative living in Switzerland, I noticed businesses and residential property sitting side by side amicably. In the small village on the outskirts of Basle, there were flats, houses and factory units side by side - all well cared for and neat and tidy. Here in Leith, as in may locations in Scotland, we have a similar situation. Not always as neat and tidy perhaps!? Where there is regeneration and property development, a tension sometimes develops. More land is sought for building and the pressure for more house building or perhaps for more profit to be made is too tempting sometimes for private individuals,organisations or local authorities. Often the businesses lose out and in locations on the East and West of the country I have heard stories of businesses growing and wanting to stay in their local area to employ local people. Often the type of premises they need are not available or if they are the cost is too high. How do small businesses survive today with all the pressure from the big supermarkets and rising costs? Its hard hard work running your own business and when you have responsibility for staff wages too it can be a worry. Increasing legislation means that businesses with smells and noise generate lots of complaints. Fish markets by the sea with new housing nearby get complaints about the early morning noise. Someone expressed it in an interesting way to me recently. Its all about proximmity. All this is fine unless its on your doorstep and then its different. So of course the fish market has a right to carry on as it has for many a long year - did anyone think of this when they built the houses or did any of the house owners pay attention to this when they bought the property? Somehow a solution needs to be found, otherwise small businesses will disappear and we will all be the losers as the skills and services available on our doorstep and the employment that they bring for young and old alike will vanish never to return. Think about it next time you feel the urge to complain about a business near you and also think about where you place your business. I have never regretted moving my car maintenance away from a big chain to Logans Garage in Gordon Street under Mark Allan. My car is in good hands with people who care about me and my business and offer cost effective solutions. I have saved so much money and also saved myself all the hassle of dealing with that large organisation made up of people who neither cared about me of the quality of the work that they did. We all need to live and work together. Start paying attention to the small businesses around you and support them where you can. Scotland needs more small businesses and entrepreneurial skills as well as work for its young people.

Its great being on holiday. Why can we not be on holiday all the time - well we can by injecting that holiday feeling into wherever you are right now. Last week we had a visitor from Canada who has been longing to be in Scotland for the last few years and finally made it for a visit. After catching up with friends and family she visited us in Leith for a few days. The weather was mixed which was great-we had a not so good Sunday when we tackled the family history courtesy of the online Scotlands People - a big difference to the days when I used to go to Register House and request the record books-an occasion with its own appeal too I might add. We also used the Scottish Room at the library on George iv Bridge to peruse the census returns for Kirkcaldy before visiting that town to seek out the various houses where the family in question had stayed. Kirkcaldy library was helpful too in having old maps of the town that revealed that a house we thought was relevant had not in fact been built in the year in question. All bits of the puzzle! Back in Edinburgh and with time running out our visitor requested a trip to St Giles and was most impressed with the Thistle Chapel. On our visitor's last day a serendipitous call to the Scottish Parliament revealed that their last day too before recess and tickets were available. There was Wendy still in post and a themed question time underway on Health and Wellbeing, the session finishing with a feisty Margo MacDonald asking challenging questions. There are a lot of women in this parliament commented our visitor! A stroll up the Royal Mile to Canongate Kirk - what a wonderful bright and historic church. Do not miss Adam Smiths grave on the left hand side of the church yard on the wall backing onto the houses in the Royal mile. On the way we discovered a couple of hidden gardens in closes where you could rest and relax away from the bizz. The afternoon finished with a wee bit of retail therapy in Chique in Jeffrey Street before getting a lift home. All this in a period of time between 1.30am and 5pm and all on our doorstep and in front of our nose. Yes being a tourist for a day is revealing. Visitors see Scotland's places, its institutions, its history and last but not least its people differently than we who are here all the time. Try it-go be a tourist for the day or even a few hours. Offer to take a visitor with you and see it anew with their eyes. Imagine a Scotland where we all really see and experience these things and appreciate them and the land we inhabit fully.

Sometimes we think we know where we are heading and are very focused on the course that will get us there. Being alert to changing circumstances and adapting can be key however. It may even be possible that some of the information we have is wrong or that we hold an incorrect wrong image in our head. Going into situations with a plan of action and being able to stay open to possibility is the balance we seek. Click on this link to see a short video clip that illustrates this well. What course are you on?

Imagine a Scotland where we have a course in mind but also are open to possibility.

I read something the other day that triggered thoughts about young people and how they display from an early age their strengths, interests and talents. It is our job in society and as adults to nurture that and encourage them to develop their potential. The story I read was of a young James Clerk Maxwell who at 3 years of age demonstrated the curiousity that was to make him a career in science. What early talents do we see in young people around us and do we develop them?. I am always touched by the baptism service in a local church which asks the congregation to acknowledge and accept their responsbility to help develop and support the young baby or person who has just been baptized. That is quite a responsbility. Finding ways to encourage children's love of learning is a great investment in the future. It is a commitment and investment that many different faiths make and take seriously. How seriously do we take it? In our everyday actions and words do we set a good example and do we encourage our young people? The other day near my house an adult threw down a can of juice in the street despite being close to a bin. Happily ,when asked to, he picked it up and put it in the bin while his son looked on. Do we set a good example. Many times have I heard teachers tell of the behaviour they encourage among pupils at school only to see it shattered by the bad behaviour of adults in front of their children. Fist fights at sports days over who won when teachers are trying to teach children that there are ways to resolve conflicts and that they should play the game and accept that someone else might be better. What an example to set. 'We shape tomorrow's world by what we teach our children today.' Who encouraged your learning as a child? What did they do that worked for you? How can you apply that to encourage a young person today to shape a better tomorrow?

I have always wanted to do a car boot sale and this weekend I did it. An interesting experience with lots to learn from other stall holders and of course the customers. Advice from those who recognise you as 'green' or as a teacher once decribed it to me 'the pupils can smell raw meat' ie new/fresh teachers or faces entering the school! Not a pleasant analogy. I found both the stall holders and the customers helpful. The stallholders offered advice to the first time seller, 'do not readily discount prices as that makes it harder for the regulars for whom this is their day job or those who do it to raise money for a charity.' 'Watch out for small children who grab something from your stall and when you chase them others clear your stall for you. Happy to report that this did not happen. Watching the customers was a chance to see personality preferences in action as well as see perhaps cultural differences. This was a multicultural event with many different ethnic origins out shopping. Based next to a stall selling clothing,including leather jackets, I observed many young men of different ethnic origins preening themselves and taking delight in purchasing. Not much else was sold that day. Even very nice handbags at £2 did not sell although many looked and asked but did not buy. It was a bad day for sales all round. Perhaps the weather had a lot to do with -a gorgeous day outside and scares about petrol shortages may have contributed to it. What did sell? Well watching people pass by, they were clutching small pieces of furniture, kitchen ware, toys and entertainment items, electrical gadgets seem to be the first to go. What does it tell us about society? Everyone hopes to find a bargain, everyone wants some fun and lightness in their life, we have too much 'stuff', people get a buzz out of buying. Does that feeling last? My first sale was the best getting me off to a good start. Although finding a buyer for some old photographic equipment was good-someone who recognised the items and would get enjoyment from using them. One man agreed with me that almost everything could be used with imagination-I said its about thinking 'outside the box' and he said as quick as a flash-'there is no box' A man after my own heart. Yes you see life and you learn lots at a car boot sale. As a sociologist friend said to me recently, to a sociologist every situation is an opportunity to learn and experience. If you do different things and go to different places you see different perspectives. How society looks to you depends on where you are standing at the time. Imagine a Scotland where many cultures live comfortably side by side and learn from each other.

In 2004 in the company of a number of amazing people who live on the shores of the Clyde I viewed the river from the paddle steamer Waverley. On the way down the river we talked about the best of the past-the ship yards, the hammers ding dong and what we remembered. On the way back up the river we imagined the Clyde as we wanted it to be. Various groups formed spontaneously with ideas of cafes, interlinking transport as an alternative to the car and the ability to celebrate, use and enjoy the river. Many things have changed on the river and on its shores. Opinions will differ on whether its for the best or not but someone or some group of peopke imagined all that is there on the Clyde a number of years ago and its happening. If you would like your community or a river you love to be transformed, start using your imagination now and act on it in conjunction with others - if you do not, someone else will! Go see the Clyde, sail on the Waverley,notice the changes and imagine how it could be better and voice it. If nowhere else voice it hear-it's a beginning and beginnings are very important.

Strange topic you might think but if you travel about Scotland as I do you notice where there are a) public toilets at all b) which ones are unlocked c) which ones are cared for and clean. Top points go to East Lothian in my view for care and cleanliness. Its all down to the people who are employed to do this work. East Lothian must have this down to a tee or maybe it's pee. Today I visited Dunbar and checked out the toilets. Janet looks after them and they are a joy to behold. Janet said they have been open since 1999 and they look like they opened just yesterday. So if there is any other local authority or for that matter anyone who wants to know what works about managing and keeping a public toilet let them go see Janet in Dunbar or for that matter whoever the attendant is in Musselburgh for the toilets there are a joy to behold too. A gold star too to whoever it is that recruits the attendants for they know what they are doing and what a star Janet is. She takes a pride in her work and havibg recruited a star employee, they leave them to get on with what they do best. There are other delights in Dunbar by the way, more of those another day. Bakers, butchers and galleries, sea breezes,great views and what about Jonh Muir then! Another day another blog. Imagine a Scotland where people like Janet and the toilets in East Lothian were the norm.

Today after a long gap, I had a conversation with a dear friend and colleague Bliss Browne. Home for Bliss is Chicago but she travels the world. The last time Bliss was in Scotand was in November 2004 for an event called 'Appreciative Inquiry From Vision to Action' which followed on from work done in partnership with Communities Scotland Scottish Centre for Regeneration and the communities of Leith, Pollok and Greenock. Other organisations also supported the work in different ways, namely Communities that Care, Greater Pollok Development Company,Phoenix Community Health Project and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. SCR's very first masterclass was by Bliss on the topic of The 'Appreciative Inquiry' approach to involving communities in regeneration.' In the April of 2003 Bliss and I created and facilitated the first Imagine Scotland event in Edinburgh. There were gatherings in Orkney, Caithness, Ayrshire, Dundee, Kyle of Lochalsh and the Western Isles. Prior to that there was a speaking tour in 2000 reaching Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dumfries. There is more but suffice to say that this is a journey taken by many people in Scotland to Imagine Scotland. If you were at any of the above gatherings, or indeed at any of the many events that took place in Leith, Pollok and Greenock between January and November 2004 Bliss and I would like to hear your story. Why? Stories are powerful. We can all tell stories and stories stick! To get you started here are two great questions gifted to me a few years ago from another colleague Alasdair Baker. Focusing on the event/s you attended, What do you remember? What difference has it made? Please tell us. Why is it important? Stories shape identity and identities are socially constructed through the exchange of stories. No one story defines a person, team or organisation or for that matter a country. On 31 March Bliss returns to Scotland to hear our stories. Imagine it. Let the story telling begin.

I am not referring to highlights as in hair strangely enough but highlights as in 'what sticks in your mind? My latest visit to my hairdresser offered the chance to review and recap on what has happened since the last visit. In other worlds this would be called feedback, follow up and action planning. At the hairdressers this all happens in a relaxed way in everyday language. Have you ever thought of the role that hairdressers do and could play in society? They often see people on a regular basis and can detect small changes in not only hair condition but also health-mental and physical. During this last visit Lorraine and I shared some stories as always -stories are a powerful way to share so many things, including learning. Today I learned about car boot sales amongst other things like what makes people tick. If you are looking for a caring hairdresser who is not only a star hairdresser but a star human being ask for Lorraine at Bonnie and Clyde at 36 Granton Road in Edinburgh 0131 554 8683. She works there on Thursdays and Saturdays. Think about it hairdressers are good for your health in lots of ways. Imagine a Scotland where lots of hairdressers like Lorraine looked out for and cared for people. How many people visit hairdressers regularly compared to Doctors I wonder? I once heard a switched on facilitator talk about how they involved hairdressers in regeneration work in communities. Smart move indeed-how many people in a community go to hairdressers compared to public meetings and what an effective way to pass on useful information to people when they are in a relaxed frame of mind to perhaps receive and absorb it.

A visit to the local electrical shop reinforced the impact of trust and also the need to appreciate local retailers. Pat and Fred have run a great wee business in Edinburgh for many a long year and know what they are talking about when it comes to electrical matters. What is more they are very customer focused and also go out of their way to stock things they know customers want in their tiny shop in Leith. They provide a service that no big retailer can provide and they deserve to be supported. Yes,they need to make a profit to keep in business but they will listen to what you want and your budget and will tell you honestly what is possible. They care about their business and how they do their work and what is more they care about their customers. This is a rare combination these days and if you value this type of service and people like Pat and Fred Ware go visit them as 136 Ferry Road Edinburgh which is near the Newhaven Road/Ferry Road junction on the left hand side of the street as you drive east or towards the Leith Library. The shop is red in the block after the Blockbuster video store. They do washing machine and vacuum cleaner repairs and spares as well as new washing machines cookers and fridges. They stock household electrical spares and small domestic appliances. Imagine a Scotland where people appreciated their local retailers and supported them Imagine a Scotland where people realised that the money that goes to Pat and Fred stays and gets spent again in the local area thus helping everyone. Hours of opening are 9am till 5pm Mon-Thurs, 9am - 4.30pm Friday and 10am until 1pm on a Saturday. Phone number is 0131 554 7181. Get ready for spring cleaning and get that vacuum cleaner working at its best.!

Just come in from Ocean Terminal, the shopping mall in Leith at the waterfront. Bumped into to someone I first met 7 years ago in Leith Library when the local community councils ran an event to interest local people in the future of Leith -a sort of Imagine Leith type event. Ken had a dream then of a skateboard park for young people. He and his friends had done their homework and talked to all sorts of people about it- the sort of people you might expect who would have an interest in helping young people do something constructive with their time, stay out of trouble and off the streets and take exercise etc etc -all the things the council and government documents say! The only thing is that for Ken and his friends nothing happened so they set about making it happen for themselves. So what worked? A small group of like minded people got together , worked out the sums and what the park would look like and then took a lot of risks themselves.

It was their money and in some cases their homes that were on the line to make sure it happened. Persistence,hard work, chance meetings and support and encouragement from the Centre Manager Dennis Jones at Ocean Terminal as well as others made it happen. My big question is-why does it have to take 7 years? How many young people could have enjoyed this facility in those 7 years, how many parents would have had their minds at rest knowing where their children were? Everyone knows this is what works, people with passion persisting and joining together and refusing to give up. Government, councils, and everyone for that matter pay attention. This is what works! Heart and guts!? Well Ken and his colleagues have lots of guts and Ocean Terminal is a shopping centre with a heart. Well done to all concerned in making this happen. Imagine if more things like this happened in Scotland and happened more quickly!

Last year at this time, I was privileged to be asked to a Burns Supper organised by the young folk in a primary school. It was an inspiring event with dancing -traditional and modern, speeches, songs and a great community feeling as young and old came together. If, like me you have not been inside our schools for many a year and perhaps only know what you read in the press about our young people, take any chance you can get to support your local school and young people and find out what really goes on. The creativity and energy that goes into the curriculum work and these special events on the calendar which build knowledge and pride in the past and future of this land of Scotland is inspiring. Go see them and support them-the young people of Scotland- after all they are Scotland's future!

It is now 3 December and St Andrew's day has come and gone-how did you spend the day? Did you celebrate? I spent the day hanging pictures of Scotland down at Ocean Terminal the shopping centre at the waterfront in Leith. A good friend did the skillful bit of hanging the pictures and I helped. Hard work but a great way to spend St Andrews Day. Lots of inspiring images of Scotland from Edinburgh Castle to Tobermory to Perthshire. You can go see them for yourself as they will be there all December on the top floor on the way to the cinema. ( Parking is free) Different artists and different styles but all done with the artists appreciative eye. It might not have been the traditional way to celebrate the day but it worked and I hope all those who see the images will be inspired by the land we inhabit.

Its late on Thursday 29 November and I have two interesting but very different stories to tell about previous St Andrews Days. 'Sticky Stories' as my colleague Walt Hopkins calls them. They stick with you. A few years ago now, I attended an interesting SURF event ( Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum www.scotregen.co.uk), in Glasgow held on 30 November which included a song or two from Sheena Wellington. A great way to spend St Andrews Day. Returning to Edinburgh by train later that same night I emerged into Waverley Station to hear and then see a gentleman sitting alone on a bench roaring out 'Such a parcel o rogues in a nation! ' It was a dark cold night and the contrast between the inspiring event earlier in the evening and this Scot wailing to himself with all around pretending he was not there seemed to reveal the light and the dark side of we Scots. I regret not speaking to him to discover what was behind his rendition that St Andrews night. What does this day mean to Scots today I wonder? Another St Andrews Day story tomorrow appropriately enough. Till tomorrow.

Today I visited for the first time The Melting Pot at 5 Rose Street-top floor. What is it? The Melting Pot is a social enterprise offering affordable, accessible and attractive work and meeting spaces in the heart of Edinburgh. It has a strong focus on adding value through fostering networks and opportunities for collaboration. It opens on 1 October.

When I spoke to Claire Carpenter today she was carrying the new Board Table into the lift almost single handed which gives you an indication of the determination and stamina of this woman who had the business idea and get up and go to just do it. She has a core team around her who have been working away for the last two years to make this happen and they deserve our support.

Go see, go use the space, book it for your next event. They need you business now! They are looking for interesting, passionate people who love what they do to come occupy their hot desk space and be part of their network.They have had support from different businesses who recognise the value of The Melting Pot. Show them you appreciate their vision and hard committed work.

www.themeltingpotedinburgh.org.uk

A break from routine on Saturday saw us heading for Linlithgow on a bright sunny morning. After taking a few photographs around the Vennel and the Palace, a stroll around the loch passing the farmers market on the way.  A coolish wind brings a chill factor until we find a seat in the sun from which to enjoy a picnic lunch and the view accross the loch to the town and the Palace.

What next?  A spur of the moment decision to visit Boness - what is there?  We know of the Boness and Kinneill Steam Railway. Besides a coffee stop would complete the day!  On arrival at the station, we find their tea shop close.  Wandering  over to the rails we see activity.  Movement of an engine and carriages. The wonderful sounds and smells of steam engines. This one gleaming green in the sunshine.  Another couple and ourselves linger  watching with interest and then it happens.

'Would you like to come for a ride?'  Would we!! It turns out they are going up the line a bit to collect some colleagues who have been doing maintenance work. With no time constraints and no other plans we four jump on.  We are like 5 year olds.  Broad smiles from ear to ear. We run from seat to seat and window to window to take in the sights.  We notice the old soft spring seats, the slide open small square windows and the heating controls- all remembered.  Pity there is no buffet!  A delightful unexpected train journey from Boness to Birkhill accompanied by bright sunshine and those magical sounds and smells of the Morayshire Steam engine. 

At Birkhill the maintenance work is not yet complete and we have time to look around and chat.  An old clay mine is another attraction as is enjoying the heat of the sun on the bridge overlooking the track. We discover there are 30 enthusiasts who keep this going, most of them getting on in years. They have two sheds, one for restoration and the other for maintenance.  All volunteers giving of their time and skills to keep this going. One of them has travelled up from the North of England on his time off work to help.

The journey back is chilly as the sun is going but still there is that sense of an unexpected treat and the thought of that hot coffee at the end.  Alas Boness has no coffee shop and we settle for apple doughnuts from Tesco with a hot drink from our flask.  Sunshine, serendipity, passion and steam are a winning combination for a grand day out.     
         

A drive to Gourock on a fine sunny day brings us past Newark Castle in Port Glasgow. The light on the stone is beautiful, drawing your eye to the Castle.  Ferguson's shipyard, of which much has been written in the press regarding its survival, nestles against it. Here in a country famous for ships and shipyards we are potentially prepared to stand back and watch this business disappear and along with it, much needed jobs. 

In recent times, dwarfed by two shipyards, one on either side, Newark Castle was almost invisible.  With one of them gone, the castle is more visible to passers by.  Sometimes whenthings change or get knocked down it enables us to see other things more clearly.  The image of the castle and the shipyard together says something about Scotland and Inverclyde. All sorts of analogies- ' no point in dreaming of castles if you do not have a decent job which will allow you to bring up your family.'  Images can and do inspire and guide us and these are two powerful ones.  In future years what images will be associated with Scotland?

Appreciative Inquiry may seem a strange combination of words but is a simple concept - it asks questions which seek to understand,value and discover what works and gives life to a person, place or system.  For example we could say of Inverclyde, 'we used to build ships and look at us now-one shipyard left!?'  Or we could chose to ask 'Tell me a story that illustrates the very best of this place and its people?'  This would reveal the best of the past and the present as sure foundations as we look to the future and ask 'Its 5 years from now' What do we see, hear, feel going on in Inverclyde? What are we doing 5 years from now? '  The stories and the dreams we would hear in response to these questions would reveal the best of the past and the present. In the telling of the stories and dreams, people become involved and if the vision  of that future is compelling they take action.  Here is the crunch - you have to ask appreciatively, you have to listen carefully and act visibly on what you hear.  If the people of Inverclyde have been asked and listened to in the current regeneration of the area, we may look forward to more inspiring images in the future.  Castles in the air, shipyards up in the air, what's in the air for Inverclyde and its people? What is the best that can happen?   

As I wake up early on a dark, windy and wet Edinburgh, it seems hard to believe that on Saturday 14 October I was sitting in the sun at Blairmore Pier on the River Clyde watching the paddlesteamer Waverley depart for her 60th anniversary cruise to LochGoilhead. I had just disembarked from the Waverley with my mother who remembers the heyday of the steamers. The Waverley represents many good things about a great past on the Clyde. I have sailed on her in the company of a Clydebank man who along with others built her engines which continue to fascinate young and old alike with their rhythmical beat and gleaming brass. 

The Waverley is still here to provide pleasure to locals and visitors alike and jobs because someone had the foresight to see her potential and give her away to a group of enthusiasts who have worked long, hard and imaginatively to sustain her.

People. passion and potential are a powerful combination.  When people discover what they care about and work collaboratively with others anything is possible.   In 1947 the Waverley was dead so to speak, a thing of the past but here she is an excellent platform from which to view the present and the future on the Clyde as she sails past the new developments along the shores. 

There are lessons for all of us in our communities in Scotland on the Waverley and for that matter at Blairmore Pier where this story began as it too has been saved and transformed by a group of passionate people. Surprises and serendipity play a part. The purchase of a house at Blairmore came with 'the pier' and that started a chain of events which have given us a reopened pier on the Clyde and a great journey both in reality and metaphorically. We can now sail on the Waverley to many places including Blairmore because of people being clear about what they cared about and taking action. We benefit from their efforts and they deserve our support and they and their communities benefit because they are the stronger for it.

When I imagine the Clyde,as I do every time I gaze at her, I see communities and people on her shores with the potential to do and to create anyhting they want.  May they find out what they care about, collaborate and create a great future for themselves, their children and their communities. Collaboration the key and is strongest when it is rotted in what we care about?

What can we do? Ask those around us 'What do you love about where you live ?

Looking ahead to 2008 what do you see in your community or on the Clyde for that matter? It it row upon row of highflats or something else? Is it more shops or something else? If you do not find out now and act,as the Waverley and Blairmore enthusiasts did, then it will all be history as they were for a time, before being transformed by imagination, belief and purposeful action.