In this business we call show the big reveal is usually kept until the end, but I say to hell with that.

A blogger who is familiar to regular readers, Lallands Peat Worrier came out of the shadows this week and appeared on the BBC’s Politics Show Scotland. Caron’s Musings has the video. How interesting to see someone you only imagine and find out how wrong you were.

Among her own highly recommended posts, Caron is also casting the spotlight on a campaign by BurdzEyeView to buy books for vulnerable kids. It’s shocking that in Scotland there are children who don’t have access to books – let’s do something about it.

Sticking with children’s books. Hestia’s Larder visits an exhibition of illustrations for children’s books that looks at the work of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler of Gruffalo fame.

Meanwhile, on equally tasty matters, a new shop opened this week in Glasgow causing much excitement in some circles. Julie Scrumptious talks about the new Wholefoods Market in Giffnock. She considers whether this temple for foodies can survive in an economic downturn.

Also seeming to buck the financial downturn in the retail market, H & M launched their Versace range. Transatlantic Blonde was there and used the post as part of her What I Wore Wednesday series.

Given that I’m not particularly interested in what I wear on any given day of the week, why do I find this so fascinating? It’s that thing about bloggers getting out from behind the keyboard and showing their faces. Joining in Transatlantic Blonde’s theme was Glasgow Mummy.

Getting away from the glitz, BigRab has an entertaining collection (I’m struggling for a suitable collective noun) of toilet humour.

Blogger Iain Hepburn now has a regular slot at The Drum. This week he looks at the role of key bloggers in the news.

With less than a month to go, you may as well give up attempts to ignore Christmas coming at us like a juggernaut. Rookie Oven announces a festive special for startup entrepreneurs.

Aye Tunes is after the quintessential Christmas song and Subrosa reckons she knows who’s going to be number one.

Yes, I agree this roundup is definitely more froth than dark, bitter coffee. No apologies though, it’s down to the editor of the day – and today it’s me.

If you want more gravitas and some proper political hard-hitters slugging it out, then step forward to take a turn at editing and make the roundup your own.

Meanwhile, still unapologetic – a plug. My book, Blogging For Happiness is published this week and you can get it at Amazon. Mental health charity SANE said: “Ellen offers a convincing argument for the benefits of blogging for good mental health”

The picture comes from Felicity Martin’s Walking Wild blog.

How did we get here? Where are we going? And what are we going to do when we arrive? Not an excerpt from a Talking Heads song, these are in fact the questions that this week’s pick of the Scottish blogs has been wrestling with.  And they are undoubtedly good questions, so join me as I settle down for another wee birl in the editor’s chair at the Roundup. Whee!

We start back in the thirteenth century, as a Scottish Patriots short film takes us through Balliol and Bruce’s fight for the Scottish crown, eventually settled by Edward I of England, which had the entirely predictable result of the victor Balliol being seen as a mere puppet and uncharitably christened a “Toom Tabard” or empty shirt. A useful phrase, which I shall store up for future use.

Sticking with the issue of democratic legitimacy, Kelvin Holdsworth at What’s in Kelvin’s Head is sorely disappointed at the very low turnout in the Glasgow Hillhead by-election, and in particular wonders whether a tally of just 307 Lib Dem votes out of a potential 23,243 signals a need for an entirely new Scottish Liberal party.

Liberal Democrat Voice is also thinking about constitutional issues, suggesting that we need a UK Constitutional Convention rather than a fragmented approach to the future of the UK. Though I suspect that only makes sense if you’re not already convinced that the UK doesn’t have a future…

Wot’s News is thinking about constitutions on a bigger scale, arguing that the UK Government is not doing justice to Europe, while Scottish ministers desperate to get round the relevant tables are being blocked by Westminster civil servants.

Indeed, civil servants are not getting a good press this week, as A Burdz Eye View rails against quangos and mandarins who wilfully thwart government policy. She cites as evidence a recent OSCR decision to allow private schools to keep their charitable status, as well as a Transport Scotland paper on the future of Scotland’s railways.

This same paper has also got James at Better Nation blogging in incredulity at proposals which talk about an efficient, integrated transport system but suggest making passengers change trains more frequently, stopping sleeper services, forcing passengers to stand for longer and putting up prices. Oddly, the mainstream media seemed to miss all of this, focusing only on the possibility that drinking on a train will be banned. While I can understand that you might need a drink to contain your rage as you chug along at three miles an hour on an overpriced train, it seems that Transport Scotland have plenty of far worse proposals.

And that’s it – we’ve covered the past, present and future, and nothing further remains for me to do than to wish all a good night. Or, indeed, good morning. Toodleoo!

On Friday I found myself turning on the radio in order to listen to silence. It was the best thing I could do, sitting at home where I work – in silence, to join the rest of the country’s act of remembrance.

It was strange, because quiet contemplation is essentially a solitary act, but somehow it works better when others are doing it too. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, bloggers have been in contemplation this week or so.

Lavender and Lovage reminds us of the touching poems by Rupert Brooke and John McCrae.

Black Stallion Photography has pictures of Edinburgh’s new Field of Remembrance. Scroll down for heartbreaking messages on some of the crosses.

Caron’s Musings is delighted with Tower Bridge opening.

Wot’s News? takes the occasion to consider Scotland’s position in future conflict and some more poetry, Wilfred Owen this time.

Fitbathatba brings a take on the entirely unnecessary FIFA/FA/poppy fuss.

On my blog, the poetry theme continued with Laurence Binyon and my memory of when Remembrance stated to mean something.

Yoga Blog considers the nature of silence.

In other news

Keith Easton learns a little about radio.

In Scots, Wulf Kurtoglu is books – with a review of Scotland in Science Fiction and a sneaky plug for his own book.

Lallands Peat Worrier considers Devo Max.

Sumptuous interiors from Yeah… Ok… Bye.

Science Has The Answer actually has a paradox – wine makes you thin but gives you cancer.

While it’s the day after chemo for Guinea Pig mum.

Blur of Woodsmoke really doesn’t like hardback books.

And if you had to pick one read to settle down with your cup of tea for then, Westcoasting’s wander round a ghost village is the one.

The photo is from Ros Gasson.

We’re looking for guest editors who fancy having a bash at putting together the roundup the occasional time. The real beauty of the ScottishRoundup is what other people bring to it, in terms of their blogging voice and internet finds. It takes about an hour and is actually quite fun… honest.