25 Random pics from Edinburgh

Hi

How's it goin? 

From October 2008 to August 2009 I lived in Edinburgh, I returned for the month of August 2010 to work in Tapas Towers for the festival. Here are some random pics from my time in Scotland's capitol.

I had just finished a busy shift at Tapas Towers, when I got home around 1 am, this is how I found Adam. 

It's hard to tell but he is actually asleep. 

I was out for a run and noticed this boarded up building.

It's the words "opening soon" that I really like.

Marta from Tapas Towers has a much needed Red Bull, 

 it was the biggest can available. We called it the Mega Bull.

Was out for a pint with Adam and Jonny Torpedo and I noticed that Adam had vanished. He had not been seen for nearly 15 minutes. I text him to ask where he was, concerned that he may have been kidnapped. We have super secret codewords for such situations. This is how he replied. 

 Jonny Mountain and my mate Dave in the pub when they were passing through town.

 We got a bit bored in the flat one night, 

and then Jonny Torpedo found tube of hair removal cream.

The partially bald leg.

A few days after Jonny did this, Adam tried something similar, but not with his leg. 

The mood dinosaur from Tapas Towers, 

This face means the boss is happy.

 This face means the boss is angry.

Adam eating a curry, naked.

Jonny Torpedo eating a curry, naked.

  

Now this isn't a terribly exciting picture, its just a steak sandwich and a bowl of chips. But I was genuinely excited when I ate this steak sandwich and bowl of chips. This was probably the greatest lunch I ever had while working at Tapas Towers. Mainly because it wasn't tapas.

The German waitress from Tapas Towers had a headache, she tried to cure it by holding a glass to her head. Apparently this was an ancient German ritual.

The view from our living room

A very strange order.

I spotted a sign for this pub, perhaps the Anonymous Teuchter drinks here?

Myself, Ian and Richard P out on the razz ma tazz.

Adam and Ian. (A bit pished)

Ailsa attempts to hide from the customers.

 Adam and Jonny in bed together. The scary thing is, that's my bed.

 Adam trying to look cool. And failing.

Dr Kev, Mark and Jonesy when they came down for the flat warming. Why Mark has that expression on his face remains a mystery.

That's All For Now


Until Next Time


Have A Nice


Andy G 

If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe."

If you do subscribe then maybe one day your picture will be on the blog.

Back to school: Year 2 Week 4

Hi

How's it goin?

This week was a short one, on Monday at my work experience class we were told to research some potential jobs we would like and then report our findings back to the class in a couple of weeks. Apparently we have the coming Friday and next Monday off.

No one told me this.

I spent Monday morning writing the fundraising email. I have yet to receive any donations, but Adam did leave this comment.

I'll give you £1000 to streak down Union Street, Isn't that quite a long street? I will also pay your bail money! I will let you know of my chosen time soon! AP

Some of my class spent the time more productively.

This was meant to be a C.V.

How this can be considered a C.V. is beyond me. It appears to be a picture of a cat, a pig, some hearts, a penguin and Scott. (he did this very good music video)

Tuesday I spent sitting, and catching up on TV.

It's new TV week in the states. Meaning that all my favourite american TV shows are back on telly. This kept me amused for a few hours. I was quite keen to watch the re-vamp of Hawaii Five O, especially considering it stars someone who got my blog so much traffic. It was alright, not fantastic, but alright. After telly I had a fun filled evening at Vincents, by fun filled I mean dull. At one point in the evening I over heard a customer saying,


"I really fancy the banana pavola. But I don't like banana's, and I don't like meringue."


For those of you who don't know, a pavlova is a meringue.

As regular readers will know Wednesday is rapidly becoming my favourite day of the week. I spent the morning in the studio doing more interviews. Our class is particularly large, its the largest second year class that has ever existed. This is because our course leader says that we are the best ever. This is of course true, we are all awesome! Well most of us are. Ok, maybe not most of us, but some people. Because our class is so large, our teacher sometimes struggles to find us a job in the studio, it is an activity with a finite number of jobs. Three camera people, interviewer, interviewee, floor manager, director, sound, vision mixer, lighting. That's ten jobs, and with 18 people in the class, it usually means a few of us are sitting about with nothing to do. So our teacher tries to assign us new jobs. With the first interview of the day about to begin I was assigned the role of VT engineer.

Hell yeah!

I'm not gonna lie to you. I was excited. VT engineer! That sounds like a proper job, that sounds like a hell of a lot of responsibility, that sounds like at least £100,000 a year. I was already considering putting this in my CV!

Then I found out my responsibility.

Yes, that said responsibility, singular.

Not responsibilities. Responsibility. One single job.

I had to push play to run the opening credits.

That was it.

My imaginary £100,000 a year job turned into the job you give to the special kid who usually eats the crayons. But I pushed that button the bestest!

After my exhausting stint as VT engineer, I once again took the role of interviewee. The interview is meant to be several bog standard questions about life in Aberdeen college. I once again went slightly off topic and talked extensively about how I would like to remake the film "Liar, Liar" with Jim Carrey. I then talked about how I accidentally joined the TV course as I wanted to be shepherd but I filled out the wrong form. None of this was particularly funny to anyone except myself, but that's all that really matters in the end!
After my stint as interviewee I took on the role of Assistant floor manager, which involved standing wearing a headset, and very little else. It was a challenging role.

In the Afternoon we have our production meetings and script writing class. Our team has chosen the name Quick Productions, because that's how we operate, we don't waste time. It only took us a week to come up with that name. We had a very good meeting where we discussed our ideas and next week when we meet we need to have paper work ready to go. After our production meetings we are left to our own devices, to get on with paper work or get script writing. Our lecturer, Peter, is taking the time to examine our films from last year. The Belmont Cinema in Aberdeen hosts a student showcase twice a year. This features student films from Aberdeen college. I nominated my film as I think it would be awesome to see my film in a proper cinema, how cool would that be? I'd wear a tux, and drink champagne, and walk down a red carpet, and sign autographs, and pose for pictures for the paparazzi. All because my film was to be shown in a local cinema. As regular readers will know, I hate my film. I have seen it approximately 300 times and I can no longer stand the thing. But I wanted to see what Peter thought of it and to see if he thought it had any chance of being shown. Only the good films get put forward for the student showcase. He was not our teacher last year so he has not seen any of our films, and his opinion means a lot to most of us as he is very talented. He sat down to watch mine, and I was crapping myself.

What if he hated it?

What if he watched it, hated it, stood up and slapped me in the face as hard as he could?

What if he expelled me from the course for making such a crappy film?

Crap.

I was very nervous.

He put on the headphones and watched the film, I went to the other side of the class so I didn't have to see the look of hatred on his face. I asked KP to distract me, anything to stop me thinking about the impending disgust that Peter was going to express.

This is what KP did to keep me amused.

If you can't see the video above then stop reading this crap on facebook and CLICK HERE.

13 minutes and 58 seconds later Peter finished watching my film.


"Very good, I'd be very surprised if that doesn't get shown."


YOU FOOKING BEAUTY!


I was incredibly chuffed at this! He did suggest a couple of places where it needs to be tightened up, and I agree. I'm hoping to get some time in the edit suite in the next couple of weeks to make a few minor changes.
So with any luck, sometime this winter my film will be showing in a cinema near you!
Especially if you live in Aberdeen. If you don't then not so much.

And so ends another week in the re-education of Andy G, I have friday off due to a holiday. I have promised myself that I will spend this time productively. I will write scripts, I will d some paper work, I will start the big essay I have to write, I will start packing as I am moving house in two days.


On Friday I woke up around noon, and wrote the majority of this blog post. Then I caught up on some more of my favourite American TV shows. I promise I'll do something productive soon.
Honest.


Here are some photo's from the week.

 Maija hard at work in the Gallery

KP has been inspired by my book, so she has started to write some letters of her own. This is one she is writing to Kev the technicians Fiancee asking her to let him go skydiving.

Becca demonstrates the proper way to sit on a chair

She then got a bit bored and decided to graffiti Laurences arm.

He seems pleased

 Laurence conducting the interview

 A couple of the girls in my class saw this truck and laughed. 

How childish.

That's All For Now 

Until Next Time

Have A Nice

Andy G

If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe."

If you do subscribe then I'll dress up in my Postman Pat outfit, come to your house and sing the Postman Pat theme. And then I'll kiss you on the lips.*

*Unless you are really ugly. Or a man.

Friendly Friday: Team Alive (Althea & Ivano)

Hi

How's it goin? 

A first for the blog, a joint Friendly Friday, Althea and Ivano.

Althea has assigned herself and Ivano the name Team Alive. A combination of ALthea and IVano. 

She copied the idea from myself and Adam.

Adam + Andy = Andom

Andom is not code for gay!  

Althea, Ivano and I all met during our time at Vincents. Althea was a friend of the previous manager Layla. Her application is one I will always remember. Layla wrote on top of it,

"Friend of my family, very good. Not sure about her hair though."

When Althea first started she had red and blue dreadlocks. That was the main reason she got a job, her hair matched the chairs.

Ivano started working at Vincents a couple of weeks after me, and quickly took charge of the wine. He then took over the club below the restaurant. 

In more recent times Ivano is responsible for me being banned from a local hotel/bar.

Althea & Ivano were married in May 2008. I was meant to be best man, but I rather stupidly took a job in New York and had to leave before the wedding. A decision I still regret. 

I had dinner at Althea and Ivano's house two weeks ago, and since they are currently re-decorating they mentioned that they were considering getting a lodger to help out with cash. I snapped up the offer. It's far cheaper than my current flat, and all the bills will be split three ways.

Fantastic! 

Plus Althea and Ivano can both cook, and I can eat.

It's a winning combination.

I am a tad concerned about the other flatmate,

If you can't see the video above then stop reading this crap on facebook and CLICK HERE

Grappa the crazy dog!

I suspect to be eaten to death within a month. If I'm lucky.

Moving day is this Monday! I probably should start packing.

Here's a video of the drunkest I have ever been, featuring Althea.

If you can't see the video above then stop reading this crap on facebook and CLICK HERE.

That's All For Now 

Until Next Time 

Have A Nice

Andy G

If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe."


Insert witty comment about subscribing here.

Fundraising

Hi

How's it goin?

Yesterday I received this email from my class mate Sol.

Hi family, friends, lecturers, & fundraisers!  :)

As you may know I have been following my passion as my career for a number of years now. And there has been great progress. I now come to the end of my last year studying film and more so need all of your help.

I ask for your help and valuable donation, which will allow me to buy a Canon 5D camera. With everyones donation I will be able to create far better and many more of my upcoming projects in much less time. Currently all of my work has been done using college equipment. And being in my last year I'm going to need this camera to do what I do best when I finish education. From incredible shorts, music videos, photography, time-lapses and feature films. Really just this one camera can do all of what I need. And only with your help, wether it's a small or large donation there is something in return for every size of donation you make!

So if you enjoy my work, and look forward to seeing newer, far better, and exciting projects to come, you really will appreciate every penny you put into this pot. (examples @ www.brawpictures.com)

To make your donation and for more info on it   -    http://funds.gofundme.com/ns08

Thank you.

Sulaiman Sibai

P.s I decided on not to fire out this email to my whole contact list, instead just the ones who I believe will be able to make a difference! 

Sol is trying to raise money to buy this very fancy new camera, he is opting for the age old technique of begging as opposed to working for it. If you wish to donate to Sol and his very worthy cause then please click on the links above. 

I thought I would try something similar.

Hello Family, friends, lecturers and strangers! 

As you may know I have been following my passion for drinking and eating poorly for a number of years now. And there has been great progress. I now come to the end of my last year studying film and more so need all of your help. Soon my student discount will no longer be valid and I’ll have to pay council tax!

I ask for a hand out from you, mainly because I can’t be arsed working myself. This hand out will allow me to buy beer and pizza. With everyone’s donation I can become a much lazier drunkard and all around slob.  Currently all of my drinking has been done with the benefit of a student loan. And being in my last year I’m going to need this money to do what I do best when I finish my education. (Drink and dance like a moron in some of Aberdeen’s trendier nightspots) Really just this one lump sum of money can do all of what I need. And only with your help, whether it’s a small or large donation there is something in return for every size of donation you can make.

So if you enjoy drinking with me and look forward to some more exciting drunken adventures with yours truly you really will appreciate every penny that you put into this pot.

For Examples of drunken adventures why not point your web browser to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com

To make your donation please find me in the street and give me money. I don’t have a website for donations as I want to cut out the middle man. As the great Bob Geldof once said, just give me you f*cken money!

Thank you

Andy G

For a £10 donation you will receive the highest of high fives! Surly that is the king of greetings!

For a £20 donation you will receive a high five and a kiss on the lips!

The kiss does not apply if you are

1: A Man

2: Really ugly

For a £40 donation you will receive a signed picture of me, in a pose of your choosing, (clothing optional)

For a £100 donation, I will lick your face! And I will buy you a pint, with your own money!

For a £250 donation I will invite you round to my house for an evening of sweet lovin!

The sweet lovin does not apply if you are

1: A Man

2: Really Ugly

For a £500 donation I will come to your house, dance for you and make you my world famous cottage pie!

For a donation of £1000 I will streak down Union Street Aberdeen at a time of your choosing, and then come back to your house and make my world famous cottage pie. (clothing optional)

Come on, let’s get fundraising!

All of your money is going to be used for this very worthy cause, its not like you were going to spend it  on anything important were you!

Your money will be in my hands!

I sent the above email to everyone that Sol sent his to. It's worth a try.

If you would like to donate money to my very worthy cause then please do. Alternatively you can always buy MY BOOK!  It's got some great reviews so far, and that way I will get £2 and you will get a fantastic book! Everyone's a winner. 

That's All For Now 

Until Next Time 

Have A Nice

Andy G

If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe."

If you do subscribe then you should definitely donate! You get all this crap for free! You are welcome!

Back to school: Year 2 Week 3

Hi

How's it goin?

I'm gonna be totally honest, this week I have done very little.

Monday I had my work experience class, where I sat. And that's about it. I essentially sat down for 90 minutes. I then went home and finished watching the last season of How I Met Your Mother.

Have You ever seen that show? It's very good.

Tuesday I was off, and determined to do something productive. So I went for a cycle. I was going to cycle all the way to Banchory and back (about 30 miles round trip) But the weather wasn't the best, I cycled 5 miles it started to rain and I got in a huff and turned back.

And that my friends was the highlight of my Tuesday.

I spent the rest of the day at home very bored.

I decided to try and make a celebrity friend via Twitter. I would spend all day tweeting if necessary. I would tweet all day, I would tweet all night. I would not rest until I made a new celebrity friend. I would ask celebrities questions, reply to comments, today is the day I make a celebrity friend. Within 5 minutes I got a reply from Dave Gorman

Look at that! He replied within ONE MINUTE! He must be very keen to be my friend. I suspect we'll meet up for a pint soon. Maybe he'll even ask me to be on his radio show. I was asking Dave (yeah I can call him Dave) about the new series of his TV show Genius. The last series was very good and the next one promises to be better.

If you can't see the video below then stop reading this crap on facebook and CLICK HERE.

It is also going to feature my good friend, Ian S Davidson. And by good friend, I mean internet acquaintance. 

So with the challenge of making a new celebrity friend complete I found myself bored again. One of the barmen from Vincents sent me a link to this video. I have chosen to name it BEST DEATH EVER!

I also found this clip from the same movie.



If you can't see the video clips above then stop reading this crap on facebook and CLICK HERE


And that was my Tuesday.


Wednesday was a good day, I think it's shaping up to be my favourite day of the week. Class begins at 9:30am which is a pain in the arse, but we get to spend all morning in the studio playing with cameras, which is great fun. And in the afternoon we have script writing, and then we work on our various films in our production groups. Our teacher is now back in school so we got some proper work done. Well almost. I suspect in the next few weeks Wednesday will become mental.


Thursday is yet another day off. It's a tough life being a student. I did very little during the day. I was very keen to go out for a pint but all my mates are quite dull. So I went out for a beer with my future ex wife, Ilaria. She told me about some of the nutters she works with. They sound proper insane.
This may be because she works in the local mental institution. It sounds like a lot of fun. One guy apparently communicated with her through the medium of dance. He then asked her for permission to speak and then asked how the president was doing. That's quite considerate of him.


Friday I was back in the studio for the afternoon which was good fun. I spent the first two hours as a camera man and then as an interviewee. After the fun and games of The Alphabet Song, we have moved onto an interview. This is another directing exercise where we record a studio interview as if it was going out live. It's good fun. I was meant to be getting interviewed about life as a student at Aberdeen college. During the course of my interview I plugged my book several times (still available), Mentioned pineapples several times and told the interviewer how much I would like to smash in the skulls of the public who annoy me at the restaurant. I'll try and get hold of a copy and put it online for your viewing pleasure.


Not many exciting pictures were taken this week. I'll try and get something more interesting for next week.

The other day I received this tweet from my class mate Struan.

Sorry mate, as I told KP, that's not the deal. You buy my book, then you get a Friendly Friday written about you. And only if you provide proof of purchase.

A Poem about this week.

Didn't do much, at school this week.

Watched some TV, I'm such a geek.

Spent 90 minutes in my class,

Spent 90 minutes sitting on my ass.

Played around, in the studio,

I'm just learning, I don't have a clue(dio).

Went out for a bike ride,

made a celebrity friend.

To a tweet he replied,

and that was the end.

That's All For Now 


Until Next Time 


Have A Nice 


Andy G 


If you want to get all the crap I write delivered straight to your inbox then go to www.TheBlogOfAndyG.com and put your email address in the wee box that says "subscribe."


If you do subscribe then I will draw a picture of you, a proper picture, I'll colour it in and everything, and post it on the blog! How's that for an incentive!