Author: heughansheughligans

Amazon UK announces Outlander Season 2 Launch Date

/ heughansheughligans / Leave a comment

(Text from Amazon UK press release)

Outlander season two launches on Amazon Prime Video

11th February 2016, LONDON – Amazon has today announced the UK launch date for season two of Golden Globe nominated Outlander as April 10th. Amazon Prime members in the UK will have exclusive access to the new episodes as they are released weekly, a day after they air in the US on Starz.

The eagerly awaited second installment will be thirteen episodes long and will once again star Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan as Claire Randell and Jamie Fraser. Based upon the second of eight books in Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling Outlander series, entitledDragonfly in Amber, the new series is again executively produced by Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation).

The new season begins as Claire and Jamie arrive in France determined to infiltrate the Jacobite rebellion and stop the Battle of Culloden. Instead of swords and guns, they’re armed with political savvy and the finest 1700s Parisian fashion as they embark on their new mission – infiltrating the French aristocracy and rewriting history.

Thrown into the lavish world of French society, political gains prove tricky as Claire and Jamie endeavour to alter the course of history, amid challenges weighing on the fabric of their relationship. With the help of his cousin Jared, a local wine merchant, Jamie and Claire are thrown into the lavish world of French society, and armed with the knowledge of what lies ahead, Claire and Jamie must race to prevent a doomed Highland uprising and the extinction of Scottish life as they know it.

Season Two Trailer

Sophie Skelton (Doctors, Waterloo Road, Casualty) joins the cast and returning actors include Tobias Menzies (Casino Royale), Graham McTavish (The Hobbit, Creed, Rambo), Gary Lewis (Gangs of New York, Filth), Duncan Lacroix(Vikings, Game of Thrones) and Rosie Day(The Seasoning House).

Ronald D. Moore, Jim Kohlberg, Andy Harries, Maril Davis, Ira Steven Behr, Toni Graphia and Anne Kenney serve as executive producers of “Outlander,” which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Diana Gabaldon’s eight-book series has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide and all eight books in the series have graced the New York Times best-sellers list.

New episodes of Outlander will launch weekly exclusively in the UK on Amazon Prime Video from 10th April 2016

How far would you travel to a Con?

/ heughansheughligans / 4 Comments

Curiosity has us asking: How far would you travel to a Con to see Diana, Ron, Sam, Caitriona, or any other member of the Outlander cast/crew?

I personally have traveled to both sides of the continental United States and across the Atlantic pond to attend an Outlander related event.  Could I afford it? Weeeeellll….. 😉  Was it worth it? OH, HECK YES!  Out of the four events I attended, there was only one where I got to shake Sam’s hand.  (Yes, eventually…I DID indeed have to wash the hand) And to my GREAT SURPRISE, the UK Gathering Admins worked their tales off and were able to get Ron, Terry, Maril, Ira, Ronnie, Liz…etc, etc, etc to attend the Gathering in Crieff, Scotland this past May.  The best part of traveling to these different places was being able to meet with my fellow Admins and put many Heughligan faces to Heughligan names!

Through all the trial and tribulations you Heughligans have really made it lots of fun to be a part of this group. Thank you all for being a part of it and helping support all of our charities! ❤

If you have a moment, please take our survey and we will post the results in a few days.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MZWYW86

Kim’s Bagpipe Adventure

/ heughansheughligans / Leave a comment

pipes

Week 1

I had my very first bagpipe lesson today.  Well, sort of… I sat in with a fellow Outlander fan as she had her fourth lesson with the bagpipes. I figured I’m full of hot air, why not use my powers for good instead of evil? I played the trumpet (another lifetime ago) and still remember some of that training.  Let me tell ya…bagpipes??? D i f f e r e n t ! ! !

I do not have my practice chanter or book yet, so I just sat and listened and took mental notes.  I have wanted to learn the bagpipes for many years now and did not know where to look.  The piping gods must have been looking out for me in the form of my friend, Carolyn.  She started four weeks ago and thought I might be interested…uh, YEAH!!

As I am watching, I am noticing finger placements, air flow, mouth movements, reed placement, and trying to pay attention to the correct tones.  Even just by watching that one lesson I was able to learn a lot (YEAH, high school band!!) and was itching to give it a try.  At the end of the lesson I met the leader of the band that was giving the lessons and ordered a chanter and book.   Luckily, our instructor had an extra chanter and book so I could practice at home until my equipment comes in.  Itchy, itchy fingers here we go!!

At this point, I am still really excited and blew into the chanter at a stop light.  WOO HOO sound!! 😀 I got home and as a diligent student practiced for an hour.  Having *some* musical background I was fairly confident that I could make some decent notes come out.  Oh confidence, how fickle you can be.   I feel that my windflow is good, the problem I am having is that I can’t quite find hte holes correctly with my right hand. S T R E T C H those fingers! I am so determined to get this that I even taped my three right fingers to keep them straight to hit the holes. It helped a little, but untaped them after about 20 mins.  There are nine notes we are learning and I’m pretty sure I have the fingers down for low G, A, and B.  If I can get the fingers over the holes correctly, I will be in business!

I keep trying to get my fingers down and in the proper place, but my fingers and my thumb are starting to hurt…kinda forgot about that carpel tunnel business I got going on. O.o  *I* think I did well with my first try with the bagpipes. When I actually hit the notes they sound good (at least I *think* they do!)

What I have learned so far:

* don’t tooth the mouthpiece

*be careful with your lips resting against your bottom teeth

*get your fingers completely over the hole

*do finger stretches before playing

*Rome wasn’t built in a day

This is going to be an ‘interesting’ adventure I have placed upon myself.  Let’s see how far this can go and if my fingers and thumb can take it.  Ooooo, look!  DRUMS!!