The advantage of being stubborn is that you get there eventually. It quite simply takes me longer and involves more work for me to achieve things.  The three main reasons are copy editing, my lack of retention and quite simply boredom. Doing things repeatedly to get it passable is boring. 

I attended a Crime Writing Course with the fabulous writers Val McDermid and Louise Welsh as tutors. Seeing my struggle to get things down on paper, Val gave me the advice to try out storytelling. She pointed me in the direction of The Grampian Association of Storytellers (GAS) as an option for me to express my creative writing.  I decided to find out more about this storytelling stuff. The website advertised their meetings on the first Friday of every month.

First Friday Flings were held in a church hall on Queens Road in Aberdeen.  Easily found. I knew where it was. This was no problem.  Well, not the kind of storytelling I was looking for… the Choral Society of Aberdeen practice night! Ach well, a fish supper on way home and the night was not a total waste. 

First Friday Fling came around again and off I drove into Queens Road and found… an Art Class! I waited till I returned to Stony and bought a Chinese take away for my solace that night. 

Third times a treat, I promise myself.  It was certainly, a different treat, just not for me…  Floral Society!  Dried flowers at that.  You would think that I would give up. Maybe it was the regular carry outs which keep me trying. Smoked sausage in batter did the trick this time.

Frist Friday Flings were being elusive, but as I searched the web I found The Doric Festival at a local village hall.  I knew where that was and it was closer than the three attempts in Aberdeen.  Off I went. Found the hall… but could not find the way in. I was heard outside and someone came out and met me.  Grace Banks came to my rescue and she led me to my first storytelling event, where the Grampian Association of Storytellers were leading an event for storytelling in Doric.  I was hooked. 

Plus, I forgave then for not updating their web page. Why? You may well ask.  Simple. I now have a story to tell about my fourth First Friday Fling. As I said, I’m stubborn. I don’t give up!