We Want the Airwaves

So it's been a bit since my last post (which is the standard opening for any post in this blog), but I have been writing quite a bit since the last one. Specifically I've been working on scripts for the radio. Yeah, over here radio still exists, although the campus radio here at Stirling actually only broadcasts online. Anyway.
Before I go any further, let me congratulate my cousin Nate Hyde and his wife Laurie who just a few days ago brought home a beautiful, healthy baby girl named Olivia Belle. I for one can't wait to meet my new first cousin once removed (which I'm pretty sure is how we're related, but to be honest I don't fully understand that system).
Now, the first set of scripts I've been writing has been for the SUDS (student drama) radio program. Basically I banded together with George and Liam (you remember those two, right?) to form a writing group that we've dubbed The Naughty Corner, and we're cranking out comedy sketches as fast as we can. We're hoping that the first batch will air this Sunday, and if they do I'll post the link to the show on facebook. There's nothing quite like teamwork and a complete lack of sleep to accomplish silly, raunchy comedy.

The Naughty Corner, en route to a dangerous SUDS pub crawl (George on the left, Liam hanging off my neck)

Today I also had a meeting with a gentleman from London who's interested in starting a new radio program here that would revolve around an absurdist version of a Scottish university. The idea's quite solid, although I need to develop my own characters more on this one. In any case, it sounds like it'll make for good radio. I'm turning into a hired gun for writing comedy on Airthrey Radio (so named because it records and broadcasts from the basement of Airthrey Castle, located on campus). Honestly, I'm loving every minute of the writing so far, and I can see why someone would want to make a profession of this.

Two hired guns in two hired fezes. I honestly can't explain this photo any further.

One final note before I conclude, and that is to plug the Alan Water Brewhouse, a pub located in Bridge of Alan, the village next to the University. I found them through George and the University Craft Beer society. They serve local beers and ciders that are amazing, cheap, and quite tall. Additionally, they make some of the strangest flavors you can imagine, including one called simply "Marmalade Pot" (don't ask). Nick Hyde (now a proud uncle), if you're ever back in Scotland, I'd highly recommend it. In fact, the whole place sort of screams for you, so get here as fast as you can.
I should probably get going to class now, since that is why I'm here in the first place, but I'll do my best to update this blog and keep everyone apprised of my increasingly strange and wonderful life here in Scotland. Enjoy your Fridays!

The Birthday Weekend, or A Test No Liver Could Be Prepared For

So as per usual, it's been far too long since I've posted, but I wasn't much in a state to write over the weekend because: I TURNED 21. Which isn't that big a deal over here since everyone can drink at 18. Still, the celebrations were great, and because the other Tom from our hall had a birthday on Sunday, we had a party going solid from Thursday to Sunday, which was pretty sick. So without further ado, here's the breakdown on the weekend.

Wednesday
Yeah, like most good weekends, this one started on a Wednesday, albeit at midnight. As soon as the clock turned 12 (turned to 12? Struck 12?) I celebrated with a shot of High Commissioner, which is a relatively nice Scotch that sells pretty cheaply. If you want price breaks, go straight to the source. I also cranked The Ramones "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" from Adios Amigos, mostly out of tradition. It is a sick song, though. Some friends came by and dragged me to the party kitchen here in four west, and more drinking followed. Quickly the birthday shot turned into some birthday shots, which turned into some birthday White Strike that was still in the kitchen for some reason, which turned into 3 AM birthday wrestling. I remember little, other than that I TOTALLY WON.

Thursday
Anyway, the next day was actually started out correctly. My friends Jessie and Allison took me out to a nice restaurant called Paparazzi's for Breakfast. It was nice and a good place to get a full Scottish breakfast (sausage, bacon, egg, grilled tomato for some reason and beans). I didn't have class on Thursday so I was free to enjoy my birthday and recover from the wrestling. That evening we ate some lovely carrot cake that Allison was nice enough to make for me. This all amped up to Thursday Night's main event "Beerienteering," which is just as much fun as it sounds. The basic premise is this: teams of about 6-8 go to a bar where they buy a drink and partake in a bar challenge set up by the people running the event. They then receive a clue about the next bar in the crawl. They then head to that bar and do the same thing. The challenges were stuff like picking up a cereal box off the ground with your teeth without touching the ground, or a chugging contest in two lines. At one bar I had body shots taken off me. It was a lovely, albeit long night, and our kitchen now has a silver platter inexplicably. All in all, a victorious night.

Friday
Friday I woke up at about 2, but at least I knew where I was and had time to get to class. Many of my compatriots were still riding the strugglebus from the night before, so I was one of the few contributors to the discussion on Scott's The Heart of Midlothian. This evening was much tamer initially: I made dinner and did some homework, and then got a text to go to the pub on campus to meet some SUDS (student drama) kids. I made friends with another writer, a cheeky sixteen year old first year called Liam, as well as a folk musician named George. I had a lengthy conversation with the latter about the song "Old Joe Clark," which I think proves that history moves in a circle, or at least that I'm never personally very far from folk and country music. Ah, well. I recall that this night ended with us sneaking into a kitchen and playing black jack until 3 in the morning.

Saturday
As the weekend moved on and our internal organs started failing, our party radius grew smaller and smaller. Saturday night we officially transferred the party over to the other Tom and held a wonderful kitchen party. More cake, a bit more whisky (that's how they spell it here), and many odd photos that I'm sure have surfaced on Facebook by now. I decided to go easy, since I'd had quite a weekend already. Mostly I hung out with Evie and Allison and discussed how the former reminds us of the second world war. I don't think I could explain that conversation now if I tried.

Sunday
The smallest party radius of all: my bed. I did nothing all day, since I was caught up on my reading. Eventually I facetimed my whole family, which was nice. All in all, a lovely way to spend the weekend.

In other news, I'm now writing comic sketches for SUDS radio, and have been approached by another group to write some type of series for radio here (I don't know what it is with these people and radio, but we'll see what happens). Until next time...