A wee pleep, as they say in bonny Orkney.

head shot of Alec Ross

I’ve got one of these names that people whiles misspell or mispronounce or simply get plain wrong.

So, I’m Alec – with a c – After my grandfather. Not Alex. Or Alick – although that’s a grand version of the name. Aye, I would have taken that.

Your name is kind of important to you. It’s your heritage. It’s your people. It’s who came before you. It’s your birthright. It’s your culture. It’s a big part of what and who we are. My eldest son has his great grandfather’s names as his middle names. But he’s known as Magnus – which is pretty cool.

The name of my ancestor – Eric Milroy – is survived in the name of my late and greatly missed uncle Johnny. And so on. This stuff matters. And resonates. And if you don’t believe me? Jesus, try speaking about about this in northern France – where my ancestor met his end – and holding your shit together for five minutes. Or, in my case, five seconds. The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past.

Ok, hands up. I didn’t vote for the guy. Why that was requires many conversations for many days to come.

But let’s leave all that aside, at least for now. It genuinely shouldn’t be a problem.

A friend – who isn’t a member of the SNP and who isn’t necessarily convinced on the merits of independence – turned up at my house on Monday. “I have to ask you”, she said. “What do you think of the new First Minister?”.

My first instinct was to talk about his policies. But actually? I said that what was interesting that no-one was talking about his religion. Any objections were about his record in government.

That speaks me about a modern grown-up democracy. Although one that could do so much better outwith the narrow parameters of devolution.

We’ve moved on. I’ve enormous objections – clearly – about where we’re going as a party and as a movement. But this is a reset. It’s all good. We’re on our way. Parties can put it on the back burner if they wish. It’s up to the rest of us to keep the flame alive.

For as long as he’s here, he’s Humza Yousaf, with an a. And I’m, well, me.

And I’ve no idea whatsoever why “Sir” Ed Davie feels he has any agency whatsoever over us. But Humza is the FM of Scotland. Sky could at least spell his name correctly. We are a proudly mongrel nation. And we are all Jock Tamson’s bairns. And it’s later than you think.

screen shot from Sky TV where they mis spell Humza Yousaf's name

Slainte people. And I’ll meet you further on up the road.

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  1. My Mum used to say – ‘I don’t care how you call me, as long as it’s not too early in the morning.’ Geddit?

    Having said that – she strongly objected to being referred to as Mrs Martin Roper – she was Mrs Kathleen Roper. This is a woman who would have been 110 this year – had she lived. Attitudes are often dismissed as belonging to a certain time or generation – but I believe that thinking people are thinking people, at any time

    How a person refers to you, does show something of their respect – or lack of respect – for you as a person – an individual.

    This was in m’blog …. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16218 yesterday…

    “Politics….

    In Westminster…..the Conservative Government gives the go-ahead for this….

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65086060

    Worker’s rights? Whatever happened to worker’s rights? Rhetorical question – the clue is in the name of the Government.

    Meanwhile…….in Holyrood….

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-65098065

    I first noticed him when he was Transport Minister and got a lot of stick for problems which weren’t of his making and that he appeared to be doing his best to sort out.

    All-in-all, maybe he’s used to being in that kind of situation and will be up to dealing with it.”

    End of rant. Slàinte Mhaith – ALEC!

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