Today we had a meeting about the collaborative project. It seemed to go quite well, all in all. We discussed the idea of belonging and a sense of belonging which went fairly well however I think we have to be really careful about not stereotyping folk which is so easily done if your trying to show your own impression of a group that you aren't part of. I don't believe in fanatical political correctness but you need to be careful of other foks feelings as well.

Later on in the day I went out to do some research on my short play design project. I headed down to Scotland Street school. It worked out quite well as I managed to get photo's of a 1950's 60's looking classroom. the scary part is that it actually looked quite similar to my primary school, they even had the same desks we used to have when I first started school. The area around Scotland Street used to be residential and now it's pretty a big mound of earth due to the new motorway but around the district there is lots of old industrial factories that I wanted to bring into my project. The play is set in 1960's and mid 70's, a time when Glasgow changed drastically as a city with slum clearances so I decided to get some pictures of the new Glasgow that was built at that time aswell as the older industrial buildings. For the modern architecture I went to the flats at cowcaddens underground and plan to head up to the red road or kingsway flats also.

I've still alot of research to online and around the city but I felt like what I did today has been furthering my idea's already.

Well we're just about ready for this lighting project. I'm really enjoying it. It's so good to get the opportunity to work on something that is actually happening and not just a project. It's been good to get some proper practical experience with lighting. Focusing the lights and putting in the gels and all that was really enjoyable. I know it's just basic things but A: it's a start for me and B: I was good to get to do some manual work. At the same time it is a bit of a nightmare trying to gain access to Guinness Room. We managed to get in for an hour today and if we're lucky we might get in at 9 on Monday morning and get a chance to actually try and see what our design is going to look like. Nothings definite though except that we'll defo be in for 11. I think this project has been good cos it's gotten us out fo the design room and although we're working still just as the designers we're getting to actually see our finished work actually happening which is something we haven't experienced since Scene in a Day which was one of the mot enjoyable experiences so far in year1. We're also going to be working on the collabrative project which means I get away from most of the other designers and work with some folk from the other strands. It'll be nice to get a chance to get some of the other folk better and hopefully they'll realise designers aren't as bad as the press we get.

Well thats us back now to begin the new term. I can't say I'm sad to be back. I enjoy just going into uni and seeing whats happening. I can't believe it's the second term already though. 2009, my 25th year. Half way to fifty, although if I continue to party like I did over the holidays it'll be touch and go whether I make it thirty. Still feeling a bit tender after all the festivities and I was hoping coming back to uni would provide the opportunity for a bit of a detox but it's not really looking all that promising.

Coming back the design room on Monday I was left shaken and disturbed to discover the said room had been raided and pillaged. Obvioulsy my initial reaction was that some Savoy Centre savage had been looking for knock off equipment to sell on their stall but on closer inspection I was stunned to discover that the design students had been victims of extreme fundamentalist Health and Safety fanaticism. Luckily the we managed to retrieve most of our things all though there is no sign of the ellusive charger that made our WMD's (Ipods and MP3 players)such a clear and present threat. Interestingly enough my charger was at home over the holidays as was Grants so where the other one came from that meant there was such a pressing need to remove the WMD's is anyones guess.

Anyway we're back and we've got hundreds of work to do. We've got a theatre history project with Ros. I was hoping to be doing a bit of research on Elizabethan theatre but ended up with Victorian. I don't know anything about that topic yet so the possibility remains that it might actually be quite interesting.

Today we found out we had to produce a lighting design for a dude that is going to be playing a 50 minute piano thingy called Once Around the Sun. It's 12 pieces each representing a month of the year. I was up hearing the guy playing bits of it and it was something special. Really good. I'm quite interested in the changing of the seasons and nature n all that so I really felt that i got something out of listening to the guy play. I was quite nervous, and still am a bit, at the prospect of having to light something when I'm such a virgin in that particular area. However we've been sitting discussing idea's and we've got this guy Malcolm helping us who seems quite excited by it which is the best sort of help you can get. I'm glad to get the opportunity to be involved in doing something. Projects are necessary and interesting but this is something that makes a pleasant change.

The project it's self is coming on OK I think. I've not actually started researching yet. Not because I can't be arsed but I'm just trying to get to know the characters in the play and also the themes. It's not a cheery play but it's got a certain dark humour too it, a Glasgow humour I guess. It's actually quite depressing as I find the play is quite political and it's message reflects a lot of my own beliefs. At the end of the play there is a slight hope that people would make things change. The play is set in the mid 70's so 30 odd years later it kind of feels like the hope uncertainly expressed at the end of the play was pretty much unfounded and the main idea about the destructive grip of apathy on the working classes has grown even more relevant in the present day . However even although it's not the sort of play you could feel cheery working on I think I'm going to get quite into it. The hoplessness of the people in the play will be interesting to try and bring to the audience (if there was one obviously) but there's the technical challenges of switching time periods from one line to another. I've got lots of ideas already and have a good idea about how I'm going to go about researching but I want to feel confident I really know the play before I start trying to come up with a concept.