Thinking of what to say and how to start this "blog" on "my modern Scotland". To be honest, or if we're blogging, to be honest, my image of a modern Scotland is nothing different to the Scotland I woke up in 17 years ago. Scotland, to me, is a country full of contrasts. Its still a dull and dreich country which I arrived in, yet has a mystical and historical romance about it. Only in Scotland could we feel such contrasts; only in Scotland would the rain pour down endlesslly as the sun shines brightly, only in Scotland would such faith be put in 11 men to reclaim some glory after the failures of the past 9 years (and 4 major tournaments), only in Scotland would a national tabloid try and rid the country of a change in government, and only in Scotland, would a terrorist on flames from head to toe, be tackled by a Glaswegian, whereas an American diplomat would surely send out a thousand more troops to fight a lost cause.

Ever since the Hollywood blockbuster that was Braveheart I have contained an overwhelming sense of national pride, and don't hide the fact that I long for the breakup of the Union which keeps the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland together.

But what is it about being Scottish that is so terrific? I honestly don't have an answer. All I know is that every time I leave the country I can't wait for the day I return. Whether its the fact that I'll return to a nice cold bottle of Irn-Bru or banter containing words such as "numptie", and more offensive terms not suitable for a national newspaper, I always feel better at home. Maybe its the fact that our national football team can let you experience every emotion available under the sun in the space of 90 minutes, or that you can experience all four seasons in one day. It wouldn't feel right not to experience what seems like a monsoon in August, when the sun should be in the sky, blinding you during a kickabout at the playing fields.

What else do I enjoy about being Scottish? Well, there's the fact that some of the greatest pieces of literature or musical artists originate from Scotland. Its the fact that we, Scots, are such a charitable nation. We produce great people, as we are a great nation. Had it not been for Scots, the world would not have just recently been eagerly anticipating the last in the series of the Harry Potter novels. Had it not been for Scots we would not have James Bond, we would not have television, penicillin, and hell, we wouldn't even have Elvis!!

A "modern" Scotland looks like this; we have fantastic musical artists in Travis, The View, Biffy Clyro, Paolo Nutini, The Fratellis, Calvin Harris and Amy MacDonald. We have Hollywood superstars like Sean Connery, Ewan McGregor, Dougray Scott and James McAvoy. We have brilliant writers such as Irvine Welsh, JK Rowling and Ian Rankin, to name a few. We have the Murray brothers taking over British tennis, and the Old Firm aiming to join Europe's football elite once more.

But a real modern Scotland is like this; we have cultures embedded in cultures. We are one of the most welcoming nations on the planet, allowing several different cultures to mix within the same community without a problem. Our Government is pro-nationalist, meaning that by 2010 maybe, just maybe, we will be run by open-minded people willing to allow us to go our own way in the world, rather than follow Westminster's attack on Iraq.

My modern Scotland is one where everyone is equal, no matter what race or religion. My modern Scotland is a nation that will fight for each other in every way they can to make the nation a better place to live. My modern Scotland is now.