As a resting scriptwriter (i'm not resting too much believe me) I was lucky enough to have a very productive day emailing scripts to potential producer partners.
There isn't a day that goes by, when I don't wonder at how much of a boon the internet is. It allows you to communicate with many people at the touch of a button, it allows you to send documents, images, ecards, job applications.
It allows you to access maps, search engines, gaming and those video clips of people doing naughty things with donkeys.
All in all it is a marvellous array of technology. A great leap forward for Min and the children of Min.
Whilst walking around the village I currently living in, I was struck by how in a lot of ways, I am very lucky to live here and that how I know that I won't be staying here that much longer. This both gladdens and saddens me.
As even though each day offers a selection of brilliance and turbulence, the environment, the situation, the citing are all gorgeous, even in the sometimes grey and often cold winter.
The village itself is a really beautiful place and despite the burgeoning amounts of houses bought and kept as holiday homes and second homes here, there is still a real sense of community.
What communities like this need though is the lifeblood of a range of ages, abilities, entrepreneurialism and decent affordable housing for all.
They need to be able to offer something to a broad range of folk, economic viability to their indigenous residents and services contained within their area, in order to cut down upon unneccessary transport and travel.
They also need to be able to retain the local population who are born and bred here, without restricting or denying access to those who are 'outsiders' or 'incomers' be that from other nations (England for example), or from different parts of the same country.
At present they're not managing to do this, the housing market here is beyond the scope of the majority of people born and bred here. And whilst I wouldn't deny the right of those who are not from here, to buy a house here, I can see for myself the effect, firsthand.
Communities like this should not become holiday home ghost towns and yet when out walking I can pass many houses, not all of them large, that have no-one living in them for the vast majority of every year, standing silent, locked up, serving no purpose.
Is the solution free-market capitalism or should small communites take action to ensure that don't become a shell-like replica of what they once were? Is there a bridge between the two, there must be, surely?
What then is the answer? Is there one, or are there many?
Monday 29 January 2007
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