Latest news with #TheCrossing
The National
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Dr Marisa Haetzman: 10 things that changed my life
1 Big Country I SAW Big Country play at the Apollo in Glasgow in 1984. It was the first gig I had ever been to and it's no exaggeration to say that it was a life-changing experience. I had been a fan since hearing Fields Of Fire on whatever iteration of hours-long Saturday morning TV show was on at the time. I remember that I was only half-listening, reading a book, the TV on in the background. On hearing the opening chords, my book was quickly discarded, and I became an instant convert. READ MORE: 'He should be in the Hague': Laura Kuenssberg slammed for Israeli president interview I loved Stuart Adamson's elliptical poetic lyrics, but it was the guitar sound that had me hooked. Big Country proved to be my gateway drug to other guitar bands like The Alarm and the Manic Street Preachers. Every now and then, I listen again to The Crossing (Big Country's first album) and marvel at its greatness. 2 Meeting Chris I MET my husband Chris Brookmyre at the age of 17 on a pre-university retreat in the Scottish Highlands. Organised by the University Catholic Chaplaincy, it was an opportunity for freshers to get to know some of their fellow students before the first university term began. Chris immediately impressed me (and everyone else) with his confidence, warmth, humour and unapologetic irreverence. He had great hair, was wearing an Alarm T-shirt with 'The Chant Has Just Begun' emblazoned across it and a pair of really cool boots. We got chatting in the pub because he was under the misapprehension that something he said had offended me, which turned out to be a serendipitous mistake. We sat together on the minibus on the way back to Glasgow and the rest, as they say, is history. We've been together ever since. 3 Glasgow University I WENT to the University of Glasgow in October 1985 to study medicine. I had wanted to become a doctor from a young age and loved learning about what we're all made of and how it all works. I still find it fascinating and struggle to understand why others don't. I can still remember the smell of the dissecting room, collecting urine (my own) for biochemistry class to analyse what was in it, applying electrodes to the muscle in a frog's leg to make it contract. Although it was the realisation of a long-held dream, I felt somewhat out of place at first. Everyone else seemed to know what they were about, brimming with the confidence that private schooling seems to inculcate. From the off, some of my fellow students were forming committees to plan the final year dinner and yearbook when I was in ignorance of such things very existence, still worrying about reading lists and class assignments. It was a demanding five years (and that was only the beginning) but I was immensely proud of myself when I graduated, and my degree allowed me to pursue a meaningful career that spanned several decades of my life. 4 London CHRIS had been working as a sub-editor at Screen International in central London for two years when I finally moved down south to join him. I got a job at Oldchurch Hospital in Romford, and we lived somewhere in between his work and mine near the end of the District line. Living so close to London was a buzz – world-class galleries, museums, theatres, restaurants, all a tube ride away. Chris's job was also way more glamorous than mine and afforded much better perks. I managed to tag along on a couple of trips to Los Angeles and Cannes where Chris was working on daily editions of the magazine at film markets. Overall, it was a great experience but a few years there proved to be enough. I knew I didn't want to be there for the long term. I wanted to back to Scotland. I wanted to go home. Fortunately, Chris did too. 5 Edinburgh MOVING to Edinburgh proved to be life-changing in many ways. My career pathway shifted from general medicine to anaesthetics, which I loved. I worked at the old Royal Infirmary with great colleagues, made many new friends and lived in a city that hosted the biggest arts festival in the world every year. We could sit at the bay window in our flat and watch the festival fireworks from the castle every night. Chris was working freelance so that he could write in his spare time and secured his first publishing deal. And despite being born and bred Glaswegians, we developed a deep love for the place. It continues to hold an enduring fascination for us, a fascination that has borne unexpected literary fruit (see Ambrose Parry). We still harbour hopes of returning someday. 6 Hair straighteners YES, hair straighteners. I've always had rather unruly hair. Neither straight nor curly but somewhere in between. It absorbs moisture avidly, to expand and frizz and predict coming storms. Over the years I tried many things to tame it – various shampoos, conditioners, mousses, sprays, but all to no avail. I wore it short for a while, but it refused to sit in any particular style and didn't suit me. This singularly failed to solve the problem and in fact added another, in that I was frequently mistaken for a boy. In desperation, I grew it long and subjected it to a spiral perm (in my defence, it was the 1980s). For the first time that I could remember, I liked my hair but had to wash it every morning to keep my tight curls in good order – high maintenance and not particularly good for the health of scalp or hair. Then hair straighteners arrived and everything changed. Finally I could gain some control over my recalcitrant locks. I haven't looked too deeply into why having straight, smooth hair brings me such satisfaction, but it does. Perhaps it is that sense of control over something that has evaded me over so many years. 7 Running my first 10k I HAVE always been good academically, but always poor at sport. It didn't matter what sport, I was never any use at it. Cross-country running was my particular nemesis. Always miles behind everyone else, purple-faced and breathless. As a result of these formative experiences, I had come to believe that I was genetically incapable of anything athletic and had no expectations that this would ever change. I can't remember why I decided to run a 10k. Probably something to do with seeing the glaring headlights of mid-life rapidly approaching. I knew that in theory, a body (any body, even mine) could be trained to run, so I decided to give it a go. I built up gradually, walking more than running at first and consistency proved to be key. I kept at it, disregarding speed, grateful when I could zip past the occasional ambulatory pensioner. When the day of the race arrived, I just wanted to complete the thing without stopping. And I did. I even managed a sprint finish at the end. I'd love to say that I increased my speed and distance and now run marathons in under four hours, but I don't. I still run but at a pace that is comfortable for me. I don't feel the need for endurance running or personal bests. I'm happy with what I can do now. And what did I learn from this? That movement really is medicine, but sometimes both mind and body need a bit of convincing. 8 Becoming a mother THIS must be the hardest thing I have ever done but also the best. By far. And the most life-changing. Your entire life is turned upside down, all the bits fall out and you have to re-arrange everything in a new order. Nothing is ever the same again. It shifts your perspective. You suddenly become aware of new hazards – grapes (choking risk), bouncy castles (head injury risk), doors (potential damage to delicate fingers), plug sockets (electrocution) – but you also get the chance to experience anew the thrill of childhood things like dinosaurs, Santa Claus and sandcastles (much less dangerous than the bouncy kind). You learn a lot – how to de-escalate potential conflict, how to massage fragile egos and advanced negotiation techniques. These are transferable skills you can take into other aspects of your life. Particularly useful if you have to work with surgeons. 9 Glasgow University (again) AFTER working as a doctor for 20 years I decided to take a sabbatical, return to university and study something for its own sake. I chose to do a one-year masters in the history of medicine because it was a subject I had always been interested in. I had to relearn how to write essays, as in the many years since being a student, I had forgotten how. I also had to learn to write at length without trying to cram too much information into tight sentences, the result of spending so many years condensing complex clinical information into short summaries. It was a humbling experience, going from a level of expertise in one academic discipline to learning the basics in another. It proved to me that I was capable of coping with significant change, which was useful as there was more to come. 10 Ambrose Parry MY dissertation subject for my history of medicine degree had been the early use of ether and chloroform in the maternity hospital in Edinburgh, which had led me to Dr James Young Simpson, obstetrician and chloroform pioneer. I became a bit obsessed with him, read the many biographies written about the man and shared much of what I found fascinating with Chris. He decided there was a novel in all of this somewhere, and suggested we write it together. I was initially sceptical as to the wisdom of this suggestion, as I had never harboured any ambitions to write, had no experience of creative writing and was keenly aware of the blood, sweat and tears involved. But Chris was convinced. Not only that we could we write together but that our relationship would not suffer in the process. With a degree of trepidation, I traded the operating theatre for a home office and Ambrose Parry (the pseudonym we write under) was born. And Chris was right. Not only did we survive the trials and tribulations of writing together, but we have both flourished as a result. Five books in and we're still married. The Death Of Shame by Ambrose Parry is published by Canongate (£18.99)
The Courier
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Stuart Adamson's message to fans at Big Country's last UK gig
Stuart Adamson and Big Country decided to bow out of the live music scene with an emotionally-charged final fling 25 years ago. Adamson announced enough was enough. He explained why they were calling it a day in a forgotten interview from his Nashville home in May 2000, which has been uncovered from the archives. 'The final shows are going to be a trek through the life of Big Country,' he said. 'We'll be playing a few songs from each of the albums. 'We just want to make sure that everyone who comes along has a great time. 'I'm really looking forward to the tour. 'It will be a great way to come off the road.' The Final Fling tour would finish at Glasgow Barrowland, which became the band's spiritual home following the homecoming concert on Hogmanay 1983. Adamson decided it was time for a change Adamson and guitarist Bruce Watson founded Big Country in Dunfermline in 1981. Bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mark Brzezicki joined in 1982. The band exploded on to the scene with anthems such as Fields of Fire and In a Big Country from their classic debut album The Crossing in 1983. Steeltown went straight in at Number 1 after being released in 1984. The Seer, in 1986, yielded their highest-charting single with Look Away, Butler, Adamson, Watson and Brzezicki in 1984. Image: Supplied. Peace in Our Time (1988), No Place Like Home (1991), Buffalo Skinners (1993) and Why The Long Face (1995) were followed by Driving to Damascus (1999). This was the last album they recorded together with Adamson at the helm. 'I really do enjoy touring,' said Adamson in May 2000. 'But my priorities in life have changed now and I've had enough of spending eight months of every year away from home. 'I've always been one to listen to my inner voice. 'It just feels right now to finish Big Country's touring days.' Why did Big Country stay together so long? Adamson stressed there was no falling out. 'I've had a great time with the band, but I'm a great believer in looking forward, not back, and it's time for a change,' he said. 'The reason we have stayed together is that we have always got on well. 'The four of us finishing up on this tour were on the original Big Country album, The Crossing, and we've never really had a fall out in all that time.' The band in full flow in January 1989. Image: DC Thomson. Adamson said he wouldn't be quitting music after leaving the band. He intended to keep writing new material and perform live in Nashville. 'Nashville is a great place,' he said. 'People imagine that it's all country music, but that's not the case. 'The only thing I miss about Scotland are the people and being able to go and watch a football match rather than watch a game on the telly. 'But I am very happy here.' The European Final Fling tour kicked off in the Netherlands in April 2000. Adamson in Dunfermline in 1996. Image: DC Thomson. Adamson's beloved Dunfermline Athletic had just been promoted to the Premier League when the UK Final Fling tour started in Cambridge on May 18 2000. Dates in Norwich, London, Wolverhampton, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Leeds and Manchester followed before Somebody Else was released on May 29. Somebody Else was written by Adamson and Kinks singer Ray Davies. It was the band's final single with Adamson. Big Country performed at the Olympia in Dublin and the Waterfront in Belfast before a tear-stained goodbye at Glasgow Barrowland on May 31 2000. What songs did Big Country play in 2000? Big Country performed 24 songs and started where it all began. Harvest Home was written in a Dunfermline community centre in 1981. It was released as the band's debut single in September 1982. It was a great way to open the concert. Watson and Adamson on stage at the final fling. Image: Supplied. Driving to Damascus songs merged seamlessly with classic tracks. The pace never let up. The band were dressed in kilts. Adamson complemented the look with a pair of Adidas Samba trainers. Set highlights included King of Emotion, Where the Rose Is Sown, Your Spirit to Me, Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys) and We're Not in Kansas. The 1984 single Wonderland also proved a big hit with the audience. Adamson made it a family affair. Teenage daughter Kirsten provided backing vocals on Fragile Thing. It was a goosebumps moment. Porrohman and Chance from The Crossing was reserved for the encore. Thunderous roars and stamping feet demanded a second encore. The fans got one. The band in kilts in 2000. Image: Supplied. In a Big Country and Fields of Fire followed. The noise was deafening. The band returned to the stage for a third encore. The much-missed Alarm singer Mike Peters and Adamson's son, Callum, joined them for a cover of Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World. Band's final UK show was emotional affair Big Country have always been the people's band. There were a few misty eyes when the band took a final bow. 'Thanks everybody for your support and friendship,' said Adamson. 'May the road rise up to meet you. 'We'll see you all again. 'Until then, stay alive!' A message that took on added poignancy 18 months later. Adamson on stage at the final show. Image: Supplied. And that was it. Almost. There was one, final encore. Big Country took to the stage for a final time in Kuala Lumpur in October 2000. Adamson had relapsed and was firmly in the grip of alcohol addiction. The band struggled through the show. Adamson died on December 16 2001 at the age of 43. Adamson's biographer, Allan Glen, said there was no doubt the six months leading up to the concert at Barrowland was challenging for Big Country. Conflicting reports about the band's future were regularly appearing in the press. Allan Glen wrote Adamson's biography in 2011. Image: Supplied. He told me: 'In April 2000 came the first official announcement that the band was winding up with one last tour, billed The Final Fling by the band's long-term live agent John Giddings of Solo, who booked live shows for, among others, U2, the Rolling Stones, Madonna and David Bowie. 'The band could still command a live following, record sales were another matter. 'Adamson intended to quit the band after the tour.' Allan said he cited constant travelling as the main reason. Barrowland was band's spiritual home 'It's apt that the band's final concert – in Europe, at least, there was one more, in Kuala Lumpur on October 21 that year – was at Barrowland,' said Allan. 'It's as close to a spiritual home for Big Country as Dunfermline. 'The show on New Year's Eve 1983 and the Final Fling concert there in 2000 are remembered fondly among fans, particularly Stuart's touching Happy New Year message to his first wife, Sandra, at the former, and the appearance of the band's children on stage at the latter. 'Those are great memories for anyone who was lucky enough to attend those shows and a wonderful way for Big Country fans to remember all that Stuart and the band achieved.' Kirsten and Callum beside their dad's mural at East End Park in 2009. Image: DC Thomson. Butler, Brzezicki and Watson reunited in 2007 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band, which has since gone through various personnel changes. 'It's also delightful to see the band have just announced they will play the venue on December 31 2025,' said Allan. 'When Bruce Watson pays tribute to Stuart from the stage of the Barrowland on Hogmanay this year, I doubt there'll be a dry eye in the house.'
CBC
11-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
P.E.I. vet college admits mistake for asking artist to remove painting based on U.S. politics
Social Sharing The Atlantic Veterinary College has apologized to its former artist-in-residence who quit after being asked to take down a painting he says was censored by the Charlottetown institution due to its political message. In a statement, the college acknowledged that asking Christopher Griffin to choose between removing his painting, The Crossing, or leaving his residency "was a mistake." "The decision did not reflect our institutional values, and we regret the hurt and frustration it caused. Art plays an essential role in education and public life — it challenges us, encourages dialogue, and fosters understanding," the statement reads. "We fell short of our responsibility to protect that role." Painting received 3 complaints Griffin, who moved to Prince Edward Island from Ottawa in 2023, became the regional college's first-ever artist-in-residence last November. The unpaid position gave him the opportunity to brighten up some of the UPEI-based college's community spaces. While animals are a recurring theme in his work, Griffin said his focus shifted starting in January when Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president for the second time and launched a trade war with many countries, including Canada. 'Expressions of concern' lead Charlottetown college officials to tell artist his painting must go 1 day ago Duration 2:58 Christopher Griffin had been enjoying his stint as artist-in-residence at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown. Then a painting he created in reaction to Donald Trump's recent statements and actions about Canada caused a stir. Administration officials asked him to remove 'The Crossing' (detail shown) from the walls of the college, where about a third of faculty and students are American, because of three 'expressions of concern.' CBC's Wayne Thibodeau reports. One of his recent works, The Crossing, shows a boat full of lemmings carrying a crumpled and discoloured U.S. flag across an icy northern Canadian waterway. The college said it received three complaints about the painting, including two from American faculty members. The AVC's dean, Dominique Griffon, told CBC News on Wednesday that Griffin had recently started creating more "politically charged" art, which did not align with the original vision for the artist-in-residence program. So Griffin was asked to remove The Crossing immediately, according to a statement he posted on Facebook. He refused. Griffon said it was the artist's decision to instead leave the residency. Many students, faculty and Islanders turned to social media to express disappointment with the administration asking Griffin to remove the artwork. A thank-you card at the college signed by students and staff includes messages of support for the artist. Artist accepted apologies The college said it has offered a direct apology to Griffin and offered to reinstall the painting in a prominent campus location. The university has also invited Griffin to come and speak about his work. "We are also reviewing our internal processes to ensure future decisions uphold our commitments to free expression and inclusive discourse," the statement reads. "We remain committed to creating space for meaningful conversations — even, and especially, when they are uncomfortable." In an Instagram post, Griffin said he has accepted apologies from both AVC and UPEI, and agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion at the university where he will speak about his work. "A huge silver lining is that this event has revealed the deep passion Canadians feel for our country and the values we hold sacred, including the freedom of expression," Griffin wrote. "Canada finds herself in troubled times, but my faith in our people has never been greater. We are strong together."
CBC
10-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
'Expressions of concern' lead Charlottetown college officials to tell artist his painting must go
Christopher Griffin had been enjoying his stint as artist-in-residence at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown. Then a painting he created in reaction to Donald Trump's recent statements and actions about Canada caused a stir. Administration officials asked him to remove 'The Crossing' (detail shown) from the walls of the college, where about a third of faculty and students are American, because of three 'expressions of concern.' CBC's Wayne Thibodeau reports.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City weathers temporary suspension of $1M urban forestry grant
GOSHEN — A federal grant awarded to Goshen's urban forestry program has been restored after it was suspended months ago amid federal anti-DEI orders. The city earned a $1 million, three-year grant in 2023 from the Department of Agriculture's Urban and Community Forestry Program, which was funded with $1.5 billion through then-President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. Communities that received the grant learned in February that funding was suspended to comply with anti-diversity and equity orders that came immediately after President Donald Trump's inauguration. Aaron Sawatsky-Kingsley, director of Goshen's Environmental Resilience Department, said the grant funding was reinstated in early March. He said the city is trying to move forward with the program after it was unexpectedly halted. 'The suspension represented a lot of scrambling to pull things apart and shut things down, and so we're scrambling again to put everything back together and shore up relationships,' he said Thursday. 'That's certainly the intention, is to absorb the speed bump here and get everything put back together and continue to roll. All of those partners, all of the subcontractors, are interested in continuing.' Goshen's application outlined an arboricultural employment training program focused on at-risk youth, to help produce more professionals who could support urban tree canopy goals. The city also plans to expand its inventory of trees and plants to support urban forests and food forests, as well as delivering public and business education programs. 'We've got projects that are focused on planting trees in Goshen, and within that, projects that are focused on getting trees into commercial sites and also trees to residential sites. And then we've got another project that is focused on workforce development, working with high school students to give them arborist training,' Sawatsky-Kingsley said. 'And then for the third important project covered by our grant, we're expanding our tree nursery.' The city chose The Crossing and Bushelcraft Farm as its workforce development partners and was able to employ several individuals with the grant to help meet its own tree planting goals. The city couldn't meet its needs without them, according to Theresa Sailor, city grant writer and an educator with the environmental department. 'We have two part-time folks that are paid for out of the grant. Lee Strader-Bergey, our horticulture specialist, they're ordering all of our plants, they're going to be managing out new nursery out at the wellfield,' she told Goshen Common Council at its Feb. 24 meeting. 'There are thousands of plants and trees coming that we are going to have to manage, so it's not something that our staff can handle without Lee. We don't even have enough time to be able to put them in the ground or hand them out. We need help with that.' Sailor said the budding initiative was jeopardized when the grant was canceled by the U.S. Forest Service in mid-February. In a Feb. 14 email, the Forest Service wrote that the award 'no longer effectuates agency priorities regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs and activities.' In a statement, its parent agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said the agency was following directions to comply with Trump's executive orders. Sailor said the city was sent scrambling to find ways to keep Strader-Bergey as well as a summer water truck driver who was also covered by the grant. 'We are currently trying to redesign our budget to keep them. They're really important to our operation. And I have to say I really hope the grant gets funded again,' she said at the time. 'If it doesn't though, there are some changes in our department that we have made throughout this process that we really believe were good.' Those included transitioning to smaller tree whips, which are significantly cheaper than larger trees planted with the ball and burlap method. Sailor said whips can be had for as little as 55 cents, vs. $350 to $400 for a ball and burlap tree. 'There's a pretty substantial savings there. And when we buy those young trees, we're usually buying them 200 or more apiece. We currently have giveaways that you can get trees and you can get plants... as a part of getting people to invest in their own properties,' she said. 'It was nice to get federal money for that, because with city money, we focused on right of way trees. And this way you can plant things in your yard, and it's reasonable, it's helping connect people to native (species).' Sawatsky-Kingsley said they're moving forward with some uncertainty still hanging over them. He said there's a lot that's out of their hands. 'Following the suspension, we kind of live with a different awareness, looking over our shoulder, of how that could happen. That's part of the reality that we're living with,' he said. 'We believe deeply that the work that's being funded with this grant is good and important and valuable.' Indiana Gov. Mike Braun fell in step behind the Trump administration in March when he ordered state agencies and officials not to consider factors such as race, educational attainment, ethnicity or other 'environmental justice' criteria in permitting, enforcement or grant decisions. Sawatsky-Kingsley said disadvantaged communities tend to have less urban tree canopy, and environmental policy decisions shouldn't ignore that fact. The $1.5 billion in funding under Biden was explicitly meant to help communities that are marginalized, underserved and lack access to trees and nature. The Michiana Area Council of Governments keeps track of indicators of potential disadvantage in and around Elkhart County with its environmental justice analysis map at It highlights areas in the City of Elkhart where household poverty is as high as 75 percent and neighborhoods in the county where more than half of households have elderly or disabled individuals. 'To use the governor's language, he talks about wanting to 'protect our environment and grow our economy' ... I've got no argument with that,' Sawatsky-Kingsley said. 'I think the economy of certain underserved communities and neighborhoods needs to be understood and addressed, given historic realities. The economy in those neighborhoods is valued as much as the economy in other neighborhoods and communities that are better off, and that means finding ways for the environment to be part of the greater economy.'
