August Wrap Up

So loads has happened since my last post, the Edinburgh Fringe festival has started, we went down to Rebellion for the Punk Festival, and we had our 4 year anniversary (still sounds mental saying that). 

I haven't been to as many things as I would have liked to this year so far, I'm missing my days out buddy, but it feels like August is just whizzing by this year. The shop has been so busy with tourists that I am mostly so tired after work, it feels like a lot of effort to do anything. But I have succeeded in seeing two things including one that Dixon even agreed to see.  Firstly I saw Paul Foot with Gail and the Nick Helm with Gail and Dixon. Paul Foot was more mental that expected, but still hilarious, I would say you might want to have seen him on things before seeing him all by himself. But Nick Helm was excellent! So much fun.

Rebellion was really really good again this year, especially when I thought there wasn't that many bands that I wanted to see compared to last year. I would have to say that Thursday was the best day for me even with SNFU, DOA, and NOFX on the Sunday Cyanide Pills and Morning Glory where brilliant, and I got a wee photo with Ezra which as you can see I was pretty excited. I defintitely got the piss taken all weekend for that one, but it made my day so I don't care. I would have photos for NOFX and DOA but unfortunately my phone was stolen at the end of the NOFX concert so this is all I have what I sent to friends and things taken on other peoples phones. But what can you do.

So even ending on a down note, it is still one of the best times so I can't complain too much.

And then it was our anniversary, I can't believe it has already been four years, four years and I already ran out of things that I can buy Dixon as a present, so we decided to just do small things and go out for a dinner and a movie. Someone did not stick to that, someone replaced my phone for me, I was so surprised, he is really too good to me. Not only that but got me flowers and chocolates too. 

We did still go for dinner, it was amazing, we went to David Bann's again, and they did magical things with food. I tried many cocktails and new things this time for starters mains and desserts. I am pretty sure the dessert, Raspberry Jelly with Mint Sorbet and Amaretto Figs was the best thing I have ever eaten, and Dixon couldn't complain about the Budvar either, he doesn't really do dessert. And we topped the evening off with Guardians of the Galaxy, which I thought was excellent, and Dixon had a nice nap. We maybe shouldn't have eaten so much.

I've also done a bit of drawing, but I'll talk about that later.

Photography, Comedy and Walking

Its been another pretty busy week, which is exciting because I haven't just been working, I have been out doing stuff. So its going to be a long one again, luckily it is mostly pictures and not loads of me talking. 

So yes doing stuff! A lot of that has to do with Hayley, she has been inviting me out for a lot of things. So its been a lot of fun. First things first Hayley and I went to the Stand again, and it was really good, even though there was no seats left, so it was just standing room. We got to see some really great comedians and were surprised because John Bishop from telly turned up and did a wee set! We were a bit disappointing with Brendon Burns, pretty well all of his material I had heard before so it wasn't very exciting. He was still funny but still dissapointing.

We came home pretty early after that, Dixon had a gig but Hayley and I just missed out seeing them play. But since Darren and Mhairi were in town from Troon, we went for a walk with them and their daughter Brody and Jura their dog (she's a Norwegian Elkhound, not a husky as many people tried to point out, much to the dismay of Darren and Mhairi.). Dixon needed convincing since his hangover wanted him to stay home, but walking down Cramond way is always lovely and hopefully that will have made him feel a bit better. 

More exciting things? I know I have been up to a lot! The Stills Gallery I mentioned in a previous post had another great workshop on. Technically it was for the Luminate festival which celebrate creativity while aging and has exhibits and events for all ages. Which was lucky for me because I was really excited about this one. They showed you how to develop and enlarge a negative that you have in black and white. The course was for up to three people, and it turned out that today I was all by myself which meant that I got to learn loads. The instructor showed me not only how to develop a print but also a roll of film and a tour of the rest of the facility. I am hopefully going to be doing a lot more of that!

The first photos are the final prints and the graduated ones are the tests for how long they should be exposed.

And the day out today ended with a rainbow!

Red Raw

So Dixon has been off for the past couple weeks, his one site finished so it was a brilliant time to get some more wee things done in the house. So on my days off we did a bit of that too and finally after having these cameras for almost a year they are out on display! Its pretty excellent. I will definitely need to get out taking more pictures again now, especially since my application has been sent I will have a wee bit of spending money rather than all saving money. So hopefully more on that soon. 

Speaking of the application, I just got word that I will be getting a letter to go and do my biometrics again, so that means stuff is moving forward. It is pretty nerve racking not knowing what is happening but I am glad I have heard something. So I will continue with updates on that as soon as I can.

Hayley and I went out to the Stand Comedy Club on Monday night for Red Raw, and it was pretty brilliant. Its a mixture of newbies and people trying out new material. If you watch a bit of British stand up comedy you might have seen Tom Stade on telly and would you believe he was there trying out new stuff. It was really cool! Even without someone who I wanted to see at the Fringe, it was a really great night out, so I hope we will be doing more of that!

Edinburgh Fringe

The last few years that I have been living in Edinburgh the Fringe Festival has kind of been something I just had to deal with and when you work in the center of town its sometimes becomes a nusance. I have wanted to take part but everytime you step out into it it feels over crowded and clostrophobic. I think I have found the solution!

Previously when I went out onto the Royal Mile it was becaue it was my lunch time and I had to get there get food and get back to work, impossible! This year I avoided that bit of the Fringe and Daniels sister Hayley and I actually took part, saw shows, ate at the street vendors, took flyers and had an all around good time!

We ended up seeing 5 shows we paid for and about 4 or 5 free shows, I would say all bar one of the paid shows was brilliant and all bar one of the free shows was shite. Not to say that all free shows are crap but the ones we kept stumbling into definately were.

The highlights of my Fringe were seeing Brendon Burns and Rhyse Darby, also the inside of the Tron Church, and getting to hang out more with Hayley. Can't wait for next year!