Burns night.

[Sam Slater]

Dairich!

[Peter]

Oh god, Burns night. Just hearing those words makes me shudder. We had to do a Burns night project at college, sprung on us at 5:15pm on the same day. I ended up photographing a Scots vicar with a tin of Baxters haggis, as that was all I could find as all the butchers, 9which wouldn't have had any anyway) were shut by then.

[Gator]

A load of self-congratulatory crap.

[Deano!]

I watched most of the excellent History of Scotland TV series and I'm sure Robbie was referred to as "The Bard".

Now I thought only William The Bard Shakespeare could be referred to as The Bard, and that referring to Robbie Burns as The Bard was reason for another England V Scotland punch-up. So, is Mr Burns also called The Bard in 'wee bonnie 'skaawwtlund?

Anyway, I love genuine Scottish shortbread and Scotch whisky/whiskey (however you fucking spell it) and very short tartan skirts - particularly on girls.

[alicia_fan_uk]

Deano!, broadly speaking "whisky" is the Scottish drink and "whiskey" is when it's Irish or American made. Also, I agree on the "short tartan skirts on girls" point!

I am Scottish, I hate whisky (am tee-total; yeah, rock 'n' roll etc), I don't eat haggis (as a veggie), I hate kilts (have never worn one in my life) and don't really care either way for shortbread (the most dense biscuit ever invented). I fluctuate between "not really getting" and "being a bit embarrassed" at some of our antics which are largely directed towards tourists. (In saying that, I don't want to suggest there is anything wrong with being proud of your heritage - if that makes sense!?).

Oh, and for the record, Robert Burns was a bit of a premier league shagger. He'd had probably been a porn stud, where the job in existence at the time...

[alicia_fan_uk]

"Bard" is actually just a term for a professional poet (one linked to some high flyer or nobleman of the time). Use of the definite article ("the") probably gives rise to the confusion here; more accurately, Shakespeare should is "a Bard" (rather than "the Bard"), as is Burns. The former being the daddy of the writing scene would, I suggest, give legitimacy to him being award "The Bard" status (although he'll always be Bald Willy to me...)

Also, apologies for the grammatical errors in my previous post above.

alicia_fan_uk

[alicia_fan_uk]

And apologies for the grammatical errors in my second post above! (Indeed, just take this post as a blanket apology for all future errors, too).

[Deano!]

Alicia Fan - thanks for those explanations. Interesting that you stay away from all the things that are terribly Scottish. I hate most of the stuff usually associated with being an Aussie. To me it seems terribly 'bogan' (read chav) and detracts from the many great things about Australia - but I guess most countries have this problem.

Oh, and I didn't really notice any grammatical errors in your posts. I went to a rough government school where our english teacher dressed like a stripper and thought all the boys were listening to what she said just because our eyes followed her around the classroom!