Volume 12.4 2010

Victoria Hall Ltd, Bells Pottery, 171 Kyle Street,Glasgow, G4 0DS

All bedrooms include your own private en-suite bathroomAvailable in 4 & 5 bedroom flats with a television & Sky package included in each flat and broadband available in every bedroom

welcome to your

Editor EditorRuairidh Prtichardruairidh.pritchard@gcal.ac.uk

Arts EditorSteph Coswaysteph.cosway@gmail.com

Music EditorRory Herronroryherron@hotmail.com

Fashion EditorTatiana Ashakovaashakova@gmail.com

Sport EditorAllan Argueaargue10@caledonian.ac.uk

Marketing EditorJanika Fuchsjfuchs10@caledonian.ac.uk

Features EditorAmanda Mathesonamathe18@caledonian.ac.uk

DesignJosie McKayCommunication & Media Co-ordinatorjmk6@gcal.ac.uk

Cover photoScott Near

Re:UnionVolume 12.4 2010

Well hello there…

As we approach the end of the academic year many things are on our minds here at Re:Union, like exams, hand-in dates, the dreaded D-word and when the sun will come out so we can forget all that rubbish and head to the park! (…via the off licence)

It’s been a great year for the magazine. Over the past four issues we’ve had a total of eight section editors and two editors, all of whom have brought something new and interesting to the mag. We’ve gone from black and white matt paper, to full glossy, to full colour in less than a year, featured interviews with some fantastic musicians, like Florence and The Machine, Zero 7 and Twin Atlantic to name just a few, had fashion photo shoots displaying our own students talents right here on campus, and had great fun while doing it all.

This last issue has been no exception, with a rather home grown feel. We’ve been focussing on everything Glaswegian, including interviewing prolific author and artist Alasdair Gray, looking at Glasgow’s new fashion offerings and Glasgow-based fashion blogs, we’ve uncovered some of our cities hidden gems and haunted hot spots, interviewed new band Bronto Skylift and a bode farewell to Optimo, given you a great step by step guide to the West Highland Way and those pesky Radio Caley folks have also managed to nab a few pages as well.

So, put that revision to one side, take a few minutes to chill out and flick through our pages.

We’ll see you in September

RuairidhEditor

Oh!... and congratulations to our new Student President, Rory Herron – I hope you like the cover!

�

>>N

EW

SMel Young is the brains behind some of the most worthwhile entrepreneurial ventures against poverty. At the beginning of the semester, a masterclass was held for students and staff where this man astounded his audience with everything he had done. From co-founding the big issue to founding the UK’s only fair-trade magazine and the international Homeless World Cup.

He is a social entrepreneur, who started in a world far away known as publishing, but realising this wasn’t for him, he ran towards his own goals. He jumped all the obstacles and is still to this day, working towards a world that is more abundant, secure and inclusive for everyone.

His presentation; ‘A Journey on a Mountain Range with a Ball’ marked his most proud moment and the greatest difference he has made to the world; The Homeless World Cup. The idea behind this was to get as many homeless people off the streets as possible, around the whole world.

Mel was saddened, as many are, at the fact that so many live deprived lives in every single country of the world. Alongside these people are the very wealthy, who often seem to fear those in poverty, the haves and the have-nots.

This man took it upon himself to make a difference. It was a struggle, there were ups and downs with sponsorship and, of course, there was the stigma of ‘the homeless’ that he had to contend with.

To date, the Homeless World Cup has taken place in Capetown, Copenhagen, Melbourne, Milan and Edinburgh with the help of the community and volunteers.

Has this made a difference to poverty?

Yes! They found an 80% success rate, in other words, 80% of homeless people involved had gone on to get jobs, begun college or were now coaching football. Their communities now

>> Mel Young comes to Caledonianaccept them. Not only that, but they were followed around for autographs! This was a complete reversal in attitudes.

Mel Young had used the universal language that is football to enable members of 48 countries around the world to communicate.

As Mel’s inspirational vocalisations drew to a close, he left you with one question; You! Are you going to climb that mountain?

The fact is you can, if you felt the passion that Mel did. You could surprise yourself! You can join the gang of social entrepreneurs, the not for profits groups with social resolutions in mind, or even start a business with ethics at its heart; such

as The Body Shop, with its call for organic environmentally friendly products; Oxfam, and its new status as a high street shop, or Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with their caring dairy.

Alternatively, make your money first, to give you financial power to help good and worthwhile causes. Bill Gates invests millions into projects to eradicate the global imbalance.

If you do have the passion, get in contact with your universities SIE interns and we would love to help you achieve your goal. Remember, you can be the droplet in the ocean that ripples for miles causing change! Contact your SIE interns and we will help you change the world!

Contact Amanda.quinn@gcal.ac.uk or joanne.deans@gcal.ac.uk

Amanda Quinn

Students and young people across Great Britain could miss out on the opportunity to vote in the general election because they are not registered to vote.

Wes Streeting, National Union of Students presi-dent, said: “In many seats up and down the country the student vote can make a decisive difference. Elections have been won and lost on the votes of students before and it could happen again.”

“By registering to vote, you are saying that you care about the decisions that politicians make on your behalf, such as decisions about tuition fees and the economy, which directly affect your life. The more students there are on the electoral register and voting, the harder it is for politicians not to listen to us on issues like these.”

If you want to have your say at the general election, make sure you register soon by visiting www.aboutmyvote.com Ruairidh Pritchard

>> One in five students not registered to vote

�

>>NE

WS

Students are paying 22% more for their accommodation this year than in 2006-7, according to a new survey carried out by the National Union of Students (NUS) and Unipol Student Homes.

This rise comes despite the fact that student support has increased only to account for inflation, yet the rental rise is 13 per cent above inflation over this period. Student housing charity Unipol and NUS expressed concern at ever increasing rents with fewer property types being available for rent. The report calls for universities and private providers to ensure that affordability and choice are reflected in the development

of accommodation.

Martin Blakey, Chief Executive of Unipol said, “Just as property prices could not go on rising forever, there is a point at which these kind of rent rises must slow and we are now seeing this in 2010. Whilst high quality student accommodation is to be welcomed, it is of concern that lower priced accommodation is no longer available.

“Educational institutions must make sure that they maintain a range of accommodation types at a price that all of their students can afford.”

Ruairidh Pritchard

>> Student accommodation prices soar

>> Student ElectionsOn the fourth of March our very own campus became a political battleground – lions roaring at four headed ladies, Where’s Wally look-a-likes popping up amongst groups of students, and posters covering, what seemed to be, every inch of wall space on campus – it was Election Day!

YOU turned out in force to choose who will represent you in our Students’ Association, with a record number of you turning out to vote, and here are the results.

Congratulations to our new Student Executive:

Student President: Rory Herron

Vice President of Student Development: Keiran Livingston

Vice President of Support and Advice: Jas Sangha

Vice President of Sports and Socities: Andrew Smith

Communications Officer: Ewan Mclean

International Office: Matt Wilberton

Woman’s Officer: Jen Buntin

Ruairidh Pritchard

�

Here at Radio Caley, we’re throwing around jingle ideas: Radio Caley: living the dream

Or

Radio Caley: I’m loving it (oh wait, that’s been done)

Or how about

Radio Caley: Award Winning Radio... see what I did there? Just threw it in, you know, casually, that we are AWARD WINNING. National award winning that is!

When the Radio Caley team signed up for the Student Radio Association Conference back in March, we were under the impression we were off to Nottingham for a jolly holiday, getting to know other musos/geeks/general bods with similar interests. What we returned with was a whole new perspective on Student Radio, a plethora of fresh ideas, new friends, and of course, a national

Radio Caley has been AT IT. So much so, that we had nowhere near

enough space in that incy wincy little column we usually get! What

with inviting media institution moguls over to our place, racing around

campus like lunatics and signing you up to earth knows what, winning

national awards, re-launching our website and developing an i-phone

app.... we have been BUSY! Too much information to handle

in an opening paragraph?? Let us, in the words of Beyoncé, break it down now:

award for Most Improved Station to boot! Hurrah!

The “I Love Student Radio Awards” are brand new and designed to recognise the stations that are establishing themselves and making a mark in the radio industry as a whole. Picture this scene: Radio Caley, Subcity (Glasgow Uni), Fusion (Strathclyde) all gathered and marginalising ourselves in true Scottish fashion, at a bar table, rather than the lavishly decorated round tables... we aren’t going to win anything, so let’s just position ourselves socially: close enough to shout across the table at each other, and with best access to the bar.

Imagine our surprise, when the first award was up for grabs and our station was slowly but surely being revealed by Tim Dye, the Chair of the SRA: “Going from pre-recorded to live broadcast shows in less than a year is an amazing feat, especially when you consider alongside this that they have introduced a structured training scheme for their members, encouraged Student Association involvement and have revamped many aspects of their output and involvement across campus, including their new

website. We simply couldn’t ignore the stations enthusiasm, commitment and its endeavour to improve life for its members and for students at Glasgow Caledonian University. They are fully deserving of this award.” Ladies and Gentlemen, our Most Improved Station of the year, voted unanimously by the SRA’s Executive Committee: RADIO CALEY.

Cue our drunken speech/ramble. One more memorable quote from myself, the ever professional station manager, went something like, “Listen in... if you want to that is” - GO BEC!

And improved we have! As anyone will know, who was listening a year ago (anyone?), we have moved from putting out only twenty hours of pre-recorded shows per week, to having FIFTY hours of live and interactive broadcasting each day, with a variety of music, chat, current affairs, international shows (yes, we are HUGE in Saudi Arabia... really! Check out our Glasgow Saudi Social Club Show) and general good banter!

So if you haven’t tuned it yet... Just Do It - because if Nike had a radio station, we’d be well better.

Bec Mounsey

N E W S

As you can see, esp. if you’ve checked out our new webcam, there is never a dull moment at Radio Caley. Why not join us in our toddler-hood... here are some of the people that you can launch yourself at and ask some questions!

Feel free to drop me a line on for any questions or if you want to get a head start on training for a show next year, to get involved in our News, Tech or PR/Fundraising/Events teams! If you missed out on signing up in our post-Easter PR madness week, just get

in touch and ask how to get involved in the AWARD WINNING Radio Caley.

Bec Mounsey – bec@radiocaley.com (station manager)

�

It’s an emotional time, for me more than you I’d imagine as this will be my last Radio Caley column for Re:Union. It’s always a terrifying thought, leaving something that you’ve been involved in since day one but that being said, any fears that I might have had were allayed by the visit of Mr Jeff Zycinski, head of radio at BBC Scotland who dropped by to tell us all how best to get ourselves one of those elusive jobs in the radio game. After giving my co-host Scott and I a short interview he dashed off to give a talk to the Radio Caley volunteers.

Despite our short time on air together it was obvious that Jeff relished the chance to get some time on radio as he is usually only called upon to answer on air queries.

It was an exciting time for the volunteers as it is the first time that we’ve secured a professional guest speaker to come in and impart their wisdom and I’m reliably informed that the whole experience was a resounding success.

Once inside the GCUSA, Jeff got stuck right in, giving a keen crowd of Radio peeps and other interested students, tips on how to get/force your foot into the media door. Interestingly enough, this involved interpreting the dreams of one of the audience member. If ever you were to dream about having a nappy on your head in the shower... well Jeff put it down to

Radio Caley has a new website!

As you may already know, Radio Caley has a brand spanking new website for you all to enjoy. It’s been a long time coming and it has taken a lot of work but we’re delighted with the result and we think you will be too. It puts a big, confident stamp on our fantastic year so far and should show you that the only way is up for Radio Caley!

So what can you see on our new site? Well, you can find your favourite show as well as a whole load of information about them as well as presenter blogs which allow you a little insight into the inner workings of the presenter’s minds. If a little glimpse isn’t enough then you can click onto our brand new webcam feed and gawp in amazement at the technical prowess of our presenters or even have a flick through our photos from all the amazing Radio Caley parties we’ve thrown for you. As if all that wasn’t enough you’ll also be able to listen to us in a far easier way than ever before. Just click the listen button and you’ll be straight into Radio Caley. Fantastic!

We’d just like to say a massive thank you to the man, the website-design legend Kevin Porteous who’s made all of this possible and has put in a huge amount of his time to provide the best website experience to all of you. So, enjoy the new website and keep enjoying Radio Caley!

anxiety about working in a children’s camp, a useful exercise to show his audience how you can be creative with your approach to getting on air by becoming an ‘expert’ on a subject.

In contrast to the often dry and down-the-line careers advice talks we are so often exposed to in Uni, Jeff Zycinski gave entertaining, realistic and pragmatic advice on how to dress-up your skills and illuminated the line between persistence and pestering, in a humorous and digestible manner. The whole crew felt pretty blooming chuffed with the talk, and also gained the ever important business card at the end of the evening.

Gutted you missed out? Well get on our mailing list so you won’t next time: info@radiocaley.com

Michael Park and Bec Mounsey

Oooh, aren’t we clever? Yes, it’s a sexy-ass iphone app... want one? Of course you do!

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/radio-caley/id367716046?mt=8 to get your paws on one!

Jeff Shows Us The Ropes

�

Why hello there and welcome to this semester’s last features section of Re:Union! They say good things come in three’s which is why I’m proud to say I am the third (and last) Features Editor of Re:Union this year. As this edition is

It is difficult to find any part of this historic city that doesn’t have some

form of spooky tale surrounding it.

Ever listen to Clyde 1 radio station? Listen closely next time and

you might hear more than you expected as the studio is apparently

haunted by a rather unfriendly ghost. The spectre is responsible for

technical failures and has been known to leave scratch marks on the

arms of guests and the walls of the studio.

Undoubtedly there are bound to be a few spirits roaming around the

supposed mass burial of plague victims lying underneath Glasgow’s

School of Art, or even our very own University campus – which was

once home to a rather different clientele than students when it was

the Glasgow Lunatic Asylum in 1814…

Haunted Glasgow

We all know about the supposedly haunted dungeons, graveyards and historic buildings of our sister city, Edinburgh but on almost every street of Glasgow, there is a ghost story to be heard.

Bars, concert halls, even radio stations all have a supernatural tale to tell in haunted Glasgow…

Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall2 Sauchiehall Street

Although only opened in 1990, the concert hall lies on one of the oldest parts of Glasgow.

As it stretches over such a vast area of land, the hall was built on the remains of several businesses and homes including a block of tenement flats. A past inhabitant of one of these flats, a young boy, has been seen on numerous occasions inside the hall kicking his football around and playing with a young girl. But they are not the only ones to send a chill down the spine of staff and patrons alike.

There is a particularly tragic story shared by concert hall staff about a young prostitute who was burned to death in a brothel that used to stand on the site. Her presence can regularly be felt in some of the offices on the upper level of the buildings.

It would seem that the higher you ascend within the hall, the spookier it gets as most of the sightings take place in the upper circle of the auditorium. Shadowy figures have been seen disappearing through doors here and someone has even seen a figure crouching down to the left of the stage.

The most haunted area of the building is apparently the kitchen. Unsurprising really, you’re bound to get a bit hungry if you’ve been won-dering around the spiritual realm for centuries. The sound of slamming doors and clattering pots and pans have often been heard by staff after the building has closed for the night. One possible explanation for this is that the kitchen lies on the same spot as the old bus station’s tearooms.

After countless spooky sightings, the concert hall’s head of security called in the professionals last year and asked a group of paranormal investigators to explore the building after dark.

The group reported making contact with the ghost of the hall’s architect, who died before he ever got to see the building completed and they supposedly even encountered the ghost of Mr Johnny Cash stalking the hallways. And yes, he did once play in the concert hall…

Scotia Bar112 Stockwell Street

Trading as a pub since 1792, the Scotia bar is situated on one of the four original streets of Glasgow. But over the centuries it seems to have accumulated a very different type of spirit than the regulars are used to…

In the 1960’s, The Scotia’s then manager reputedly hanged himself in the cellar and clearly doesn’t want to give up his position at the bar. People have reported feeling like they are being choked when they venture downstairs and a paranormal group who were called in to investigate actually recorded an angry voice shouting at them to “get out of my bar”.

But the sighting of a much friendlier ghost is also a regular occurrence at the Scotia as many punters claim to have seen a woman wearing a green velvet dress and hat wandering around the bar.

The ghostly sightings have even been enough to convince the current manager, Mary that there is such a thing as ghosts: “I don’t have any great belief in these things myself but having worked in The Scotia now for four years I am beginning to think there may be more to it all than I thought”.

The bar is just down the road from where public hangings used to take place and with over two centuries worth of customers, staff and owners it is possible that a few may still be hanging around the oldest pub in Glasgow.

Amanda Matheson

Glasgow-themed, I have done my best to scour our fine city in search of goodies and ghouls for your reading satisfaction. Enjoy!

Amanda

�

THE MAISONETTEDe Courcy’s Arcade, Cresswell Lane

Nestled in between a cake lounge and vintage clothing store in De Courcy’s Arcade, the Maisonette is the place to go if you are in search of the perfect, one-off gift or if you just want to treat yourself to some funky crafts, unlike any on sale elsewhere in Glasgow.

The brainchild of Carrie Maclennan and Clare Nicolson, familiar faces on Glasgow’s neo-craft scene for several years, The Maisonette has been offering “quality, ethically produced, off-beat” products to Glasgow since it opened in October last year.

Co-founder Carrie says of the store’s offerings “The products we choose to stock at The Maisonette do not always fit into ordinary, mainstream gift & lifestyle shops and we’re trying to appeal to customers who want to get something genuinely different out of their shopping trip”.

From celebrity finger puppets to prints of the legend that is Dot Branning, The Maisonette sources products from independent designers and artists all over Scotland, and is the one stop shop for all things wacky and wonderful.

GLICKMAN’S157 London Road, Glasgow

The oldest sweet shop in Glasgow, Glickman’s has been passed down through generations since it was founded in 1903. Now run by mother and daughter Irene and Julie Birkett, the shop lies on London Road, just ten minutes from the city centre.

With over 100 years of history, and original recipes dating back from 1903 still in use, the shop is, in some respects, an institution.

Remember Lee’s Original Macaroon Bars? A certain Mr Lee just so happened to be a trainee at Glickman’s in the 1920s before starting his own business.

The jars of Soor Plooms and Lucky Tatties lining the walls of the store hark back to when it first opened over a century ago, while the most recent additions to the world of confectionary such as Jelly Belly beans and Haribo’s bring a touch of modernity to the traditional surroundings.

The shop is so popular and one-of a kind, that it is in high demand by television and film companies. Even Ewan Macgregor’s latest blockbuster ‘The Last Word’ features the shop in one of its scenes.

But the fame hasn’t affected the down to earth owners of Glickman’s, who don’t pay for advertising and only charge around a pound for most bags of sweets.

So what is the secret to the success of this little confectionary shop that has outlived any other sweetie shop in Glasgow? Apart from the delicious treats on offer, the owners’ passion for the shop keeps people coming back for more.

Four generations of the Glickman family have strived to maintain the high standards of the company by manufacturing a lot of their own produce, selling it at reasonable prices and doing so with a smile.

Glickman’s is one of those places that, once you visit, you want to go back straight away. A feeling that can easily be explained by the motto of their owners – “There are no strangers, just friends you haven’t met yet”.

Hidden away down side streets, up alleyways and behind other shops, Glasgow is a hotspot for hidden gems.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift or just want to satisfy your sweet tooth, the best places to look in this buzzing metropolis are away from the high fashion of Princes Square and the

SHOES IN THE CITY507 Duke Street

Ever get tired of trawling up and down Buchanan Street in search of the perfect shoe? Maybe it’s time to broaden your horizons to outwith Glasgow’s city cen-tre.

Duke Street, in the East End of Glasgow, is home to a small, chic, independent store run by a shoe lover for shoe lovers. It might be out of your way, but Shoes in the City stock footwear, handbags and accessories from as far away as Sweden, Germany and Spain. Dennistoun doesn’t really seem that far away now does it?

Adored by the people who know about it, Shoes in the City is one of Glasgow’s best kept secrets, so the next time you find yourself lacking that special something to glam up your outfit - head east!

savers stores on Sauchiehall Street.

All sorts of treasures can be found in the small independent stores which, although often concealed from obvious view, are the epitome of Glasgow – quirky, friendly and full of character.

Amanda Matheson

10

Meph, drone, MCAT, miaow miaow, bubbles, mephedrone – whatever you call it, everyone has been talking about it.

Earlier this year the government made the decision to have mephedrone, once a legal high, made illegal – classifying it, and others like it, as Class B drugs along with Speed (amphetamines), Cannabis, Ritalin and Pholcodine. This means if you’re caught with it you could be facing up to five years in prison.

Under medicines legislation it has always been illegal to sell it for human consumption, but after a quick Google search you could find it being sold as “plant fertiliser” and can have it delivered to your door for as little as £4 with the one-line warning “not for human consumption” covering suppliers legally.

It is the latest in a string of legal highs to be scrutinised. Such substances mimic the effects of illegal drugs, but are not controlled by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. They can be anything from herbal blends to synthetic chemicals.

However it was the death of Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, in March that turned the spotlight onto mephedrone specifically. The two friends died after taking the drug, which they used as an alternative to ecstasy and cocaine, during a night of heavy drinking. Their parents, with help from the press, then called upon the government to ban it.

Drugs in the UK are banned by the home secretary, with parliamentary backing but the initial steps are usually taken by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which advises the government on drug-related issues.

It’s the ACMD’s job is to investigate a substance which is being “misused or appears to be being misused” and “is

having or appears to be capable of having harmful effects sufficient to cause a social problem”. That can be anything from legal highs to alcohol. In recent years it has suggested a ban on selling strong lagers and beers.

However, what has stunned many is that after the government announced the ban on Mephedrone several members of the ACMD have shown resistance towards the decision, with one member, Eric Carlin, resigning over the move. He stated that the decision by the Home Secretary was “unduly based on media and political pressure” and that, “little or no discussion about how our recommendation to classify this drug would be likely to impact on young people’s behaviour.”

Mr Carlin’s resignation, along with widespread criticism of the ban from government drug advisers has led many to believe the ban is a purely political move designed to show Labour as having a tough stance on drugs before a general election.

Even spokesman for drugs advice charity DrugScope, Harry Shapiro, described the decision to ban the drug as “a knee-jerk response” and “not the answer” in helping to stop the widespread use of harmful legal highs.

Many believe it is the system of drug classification and banning which is flawed, but no system is perfect, and even if it was, the problems with legal highs wouldn’t stop overnight, warns Mr Shapiro. “The way we go about banning a drug in the UK does seem like a long process when there have been deaths, but just by making something illegal you don’t just turn off the tap.”

Ruairidh Pritchard

Mephedrone The drug that seems to be on everyone’s lips... or up their nose.

11

10 top tips of Positive Mental Health

Jas Bytes...

Ok, so we need to stay physically fit. Go to the gym, take the stairs, walk half an hour a day and eat the recommended �. We hear so much about why we should stay physically fit, and with so much emphasis placed on healthy eating we tend to forget how important it is to look after our mental health too. Sometimes it’s

1) Keep movingMuch research highlights that physical activity helps us to keep mentally well. When we exercise, we feel better due to various positive chemicals being released into our bloodstream. Exercising is beneficial for our physical health but we forget that it does wonders for our mental health too. The benefits of exercise can’t be underestimated, so whether it’s keeping to the gym schedule, going for a jog with a friend, or taking a pet for a walk – make sure you do it regularly! Why not get involved in a sports club and play for Caley? Click onto www.caledonianstudent.com/sports for more info!

2) Let your feelings outBy simply talking to someone about an issue that has been on your mind for a while can substantially help you stay mentally healthy. Don’t feel reluctant to speak about any issues; learn to share your problems with friends or family. Speaking about negative feelings isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s just part of taking control of your wellbeing. In the students’ association, you can drop into the welfare department and speak confidentially to a welfare adviser. There is also the option of phoning nightline - a service ran by students, for students from Mon-Thurs, �pm till �am (01�1-��-22-���). You can speak about anything that might be bothering you– it’s completely confidential, non-judgemental, non-directive and will even call you back if you’re low on credit!

3) Take a breakThe world can wait. If you have had a busy and stressful time, you deserve to have some ‘me time’. Make sure that you schedule in regular breaks - having a change of scene will allow your mind the space it needs. Taking a few minutes is sometimes enough time for your body to de-stress. Being a student isn’t easy! We listen to our lecturers and our tutors and it becomes difficult to listen to our bodies. If you’re tired, sleep. If you need a break, take it. And if you feel like running away, just go for a jog.

�) Have you got a pen and paper?Writing out your feelings helps us think more clearly about the issues that are distressing to our mental health and improves coping with the issue. It’s also useful to keep a record of your feelings which will help highlight the changes in your mental health over time.

The Samaritans (www.samaritans.org) run email helplines for those who would rather email than speaking on the phone.

�) Drink sensiblyStaying clear of too much alcohol is as important for our mental health as for our physical health. When we are feeling run down or concerned it is important we don’t use alcohol as an escape from worries – it’s a depressant drug. Socialising and having fun doesn’t have to always involve alcohol. Leaflets and information on sensible drinking are available from the welfare department resource area.

�) Are you balanced?A balanced diet is essential to maintaining good mental health. Research shows direct links between what we eat, and how we feel. By simply eating fruit over study time can significantly increase our concentration span and alertness. ‘’The time is now right for nutrition to become a mainstream, everyday component of mental health care, and a regular factor in mental health promotion’’ (Mental Health Foundation, Feeding Minds Report). If you would like some information on this area from the food standards agency, leaflets are available from the Welfare department resource area. Ps, look out for information and freebies from the food standards agency at the wellbeing fair!

�) Laugh your heart outResearch shows that laughing helps lighten many psychological conditions such as stress, anxiety, grief, irritation, anger and even depression. Whether it’s reading a funny book, watching ‘friends’, joining a club or society; its important you take part in something which makes you giggle from time to time! Ps, Look out for the free laughter workshop at the annual wellbeing fair!

�) What’s your hobby?Taking time out to do what you enjoy is just as important as taking time out to study. Enjoying yourself helps beat stress, boosts your self-esteem and helps to forget about the worries that we might be facing. In the Students’ Association, we have a wide variety of societies that you can get involved in, ranging from cheerleading, comedy, environmental, to baking and music societies! To join (or to start your own!) email sarah.gurney@gcal.ac.uk.

difficult to realise that to be mentally healthy we must value ourselves and be open to the relationships that we are in. Have a read at the tips below and see if there are any ways in which you could improve your mental health!

�) Assess your coping skillsMany consistent and healthy ways to cope with stressful situations in the long-term are endless: learning to relax, breathing control, reducing negative thoughts, eating healthily, meditating, taking part in yoga, talking and sharing worries. The more methods we use to cope the better.

10) Ask for helpIt’s important to understand that feeling low or anxious from time to time are normal responses to the various things that life throws at us. If these feelings and thoughts continue for more than a few weeks it then becomes important to seek support. Some useful contacts are:

University Mental Health & Wellbeing Service: 01�1 2�3 13�3

Samaritans: 0����-�0-�0-�0 Breathing Space: 0�00-�3-��-�� Your GP can also refer you to local mental

health specialists.

As I mentioned before, asking for help is a sign of strength and the first step in tackling a problem! The Welfare Department is open Mon-Fri (�am-�pm), feel free to drop in or arrange an appointment by emailing welfare@gcu.ac.uk, or phoning 01�1-2�3-1��0.

For more information on mental wellbeing click onto:

www.wellscotland.infowww.mind.org.ukwww.ssmh.ac.ukwww.nus.org.uk/thinkpositive

If you have any questions feel free to drop me an email at jas.sangha@gcu.ac.uk.

Jas SanghaVP Support and AdviceNightline Co-ordinator

Come along to the students’ association for the annual wellbeing fair on the 21st April. With lots of exciting and free activities on offer for you including massage sessions, make-overs, laughter workshops, yoga class and many other activities. It’s the biggest wellbeing event at GCU and with everything being free, don’t miss out!

12

Sitting through a film with your Step Father proclaiming: “This is crap” every two minutes while repeatedly jumping out his skin at the scary bits might seem a little hypocritical to you as it did to I. For one I never asked him to watch it, it isn’t my fault that the room with the almighty Xbox in it was too cold for his precious self. There was no need to inflict himself on me.

But back to this bold accusation of Stag Night being ‘crap’. OK, so it’s not amazing. Think of it in the teabag terms of horror films. You get your typical supermarket own brands that taste a bit rank that you buy in desperate need, open but never quite finish. Then you get your Tetley which supplies you with amazing tea heaven. Well Stag Night is somewhere in between – like a Typhoo, bit of a funny aftertaste but all in all drinkable.

Stag Night is watchable, at points it’s horrifying to the extent of face covering but otherwise? Meh.

So what’s it about? Well, a stag night.... gone wrong, obviously. After getting chucked out of a downtown strip club for rowdy behaviour during a bachelor party, Mike and his mates decide to get the subway home. On the empty (of course) subway train they happen to run into a couple of strippers from the club they were in. This, of course, leads to an incident involving some pepper spray and everyone jumping off the train, thus leaving them in a subway station that has been closed since the 1970s. It also has no phone signal which is never good now, is it?

Now the terrifying antics are all set up, but what lives in these subway tunnels? Cavemen! No, this is no joke. There are modern day kill-happy cavemen that are ready to pick this lot off like grapes because let’s face it they aren’t the smartest bunch of people in the world.

It’s gory, at times scary and at some points ridiculous but it’s definitely worth a watch.

3/5

Steph Cosway

Scottish Hingys tae gi a GoogleNow you may not have Scotland down as a leading cultural capitol but you would be very much mistaken. So for all those procrastination fans out there here are a few wee Scottish gems to have a look at:

FilmSweet Sixteen – A film about a ned living in Port Glasgow might not seem like the greatest creation ever but this film is one of the most compelling sto-ries you’ll ever see. Forget Trainspot-ting and Wickerman, Sweet Sixteen should be there on top.

Book‘The Trick is to Keep Breathing’ by Janice Galloway was written over 21 years ago so yeah, it might be a bit of oldie yet it is still as thought-provok-ing and as current as it was way back in 1989. Like Sythia Plath’s ‘Bell Jar’ it will stay with you forever.

Play ‘Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Heed Chopped Off’ is a play from the gen-ius that is Liz Lochhead. It might not be acted out much nowadays but you can still read the book. Weird and wonderful you have to experience it for the playground scene alone.

ComedianNow you might know Mr Ross ‘Teddy’ Craig as the bloke who beat Limmy at the Scottish Variety Awards for Best Up and Coming Comedian at the Scot-tish Variety awards. I know him as the funny guy off Twitter. I fully sug-gest you become a fan before he’s a megastar.

Steph Cosway

Well here we have it, the last issue of the semester and it is one dedicated to everything Scottish – bar one little review of an American film (shhh).

I hope you’ve enjoyed your Arts & Entertainments section of Re:Union as much as I have and thanks to everyone who reads this and all those of you who sent work in, it was all amazing.

Good luck with exams!

Steph x

13

Alasdair Gray opens the door dressed in his pyjamas.

While he dresses and makes me a cup of tea, I sit in his front room surveying his front room. As you would expect, it is lined with shelves containing hundreds upon hundreds of books. Resting on top of the shelves are unfinished portraits and a skull. Prominently framed on the wall is the Declaration of Arbroath 1320.

Alasdair Gray is the man who wrote Lanark – his first and most famous novel – that The Guardian describes as “one of the landmarks of 20th-century fiction.” He has published nine novels since Lanark, three books of non-fiction and two collections of poetry.

As wall as writing numerous works for theatre, radio and television; at one point acting as Glasgow University’s Writer in Residence teaching on their Masters of Creative Writing, he is also a respected artist. He trained at the Glasgow School of Art in the 1950s; and now illustrates all his own writing. He has painted countless portraits and is renowned for his trademark large, colourful murals.

Alasdair returns with my tea and we begin with him explaining how he transfers ideas from his brain to the page. “I scribble down notes in notebooks that I often carry around with me or in the margins of books I am writing. When making a story out of my notes I chiefly dictate to a secretary. I have never learnt to type so I have never learnt to use a word processor.” His wife later tells me he will sometimes work straight through the night.

Alasdair’s soft eloquence and quick intellect are clear. He is clearly not senile as many have speculated, more like an eccentric grandfather.

Despite his age, Alasdair continues to work prolifically. In the last few months his

novel Old Men in Love was published in paperback, he starred in theatre soap opera Westenders, had his recent collection of plays performed at the Oran Mor, and has designed a label for Inverarity whisky.

Many writers complain about ‘writer’s block’ at some point in their careers. However, Gray thinks the concept of writer’s block is a romanticised notion, “I’ve never been bothered by writer’s block. That seems to be slightly romantic – the notion that a writer has an egg inside them that they cannot lay, or sh*t inside them that they can’t excrete, a form of constipation. When I’ve got no ideas for a story, I just have no ideas for a story.”

Few people are lucky enough to be a gifted author or artist: Alasdair has a creativity that transfers to both, but explains “I haven’t painted quite as much as I would like to do… I was mainly painting murals: paintings on walls that couldn’t be sold. There were one or two people who did buy paintings from me, but they were friends. The result was my paintings had no market value.”

In recent years, he has hired an art dealer to help remedy this commercial problem. He seems to feel this is an almost pretentious gesture, explaining, “I grew up where there weren’t any art dealers.”

One of Alasdair’s greatest projects is painting the ceiling of the Oran Mor – Glasgow’s very own Sistine Chapel. The building was once a church and Alasdair is in the process of covering the huge ceiling in a heaven of stars, clouds and astrological symbols. “When we first discussed the mural six years ago, we realised there could be no deadline for its completion. It will likely take the rest of my life. I may die before it is finished.”

He works on it most mornings, with three friends who help him. The owner of the Oran Mor, Colin Beattie, pays Alasdair a tradesman’s wage. It may be a pittance for

Meeting Alasdair Gray: A Scottish Institution

the work of a living legend, but it is the rate Alasdair requested.

He is also a man with a social conscience and a passion for politics, keen for Scotland to be independent. “I want a referendum. I want it. I believe that democracy or social decency is only possible in small countries. In the U.S.A and Britain the extremes between poverty have been increasing and huge. The notion that if you are hugely wealthy you should use your money to get wealthier still and buy a helicopter and several houses…” he laughs dismissively.

Politics aside, he talks about future writing plans. He is currently working on a book about the history of his work as a visual artist - A Life in Pictures. “I may not be writing many more works of fiction or any more of these. It’s a matter of ideas” he explains.

Gray feels thankful for the hand that life has dealt him. “Be very careful about what you want very much when you are young, because you are quite likely to get it long before you are dead then you will wonder what to do. Luckily the things I wanted all seemed to be impossible – like writing a very big book that would be published and would be, as Milton said, ‘a work the world would not willingly let die’.” Most literary critics would concede that Alasdair got what he wished for.

Kate Maclennan

Meeting

Alasdair Gray: A S c o t t i s h In s t i t u t io n

1�

That’s Except for Viewers in England.

It’s a question that’s always tapped away at the back of my mind since I first realised that the Scottish didn’t like the English, the English didn’t care about the Scottish and the Welsh and Northern Irish hated everyone else for barely even noticing their presence. Of course, this is a TV-based analogy. The real question is, why are BBC 2 showing repeats of old shows instead of new comedy from North of the border?

A recent piece in the Guardian, suggested that BBC 2’s Burnistoun would stand up on its own in a nationwide broadcast and I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with that notion. I find it incredible given the amount of funding that is given to comedy on BBC 3 to churn out crap like Coming of Age, Scallywagga and the “cream” of the BBC 3 crop Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps that there is exceptional comedy being left to rot on the BBC 2 Scotland schedule, meaning that people outside Scotland have to go south on their Sky remotes to find it. People shouldn’t have to go that way. That way madness, and blindness lie.

The advent of the iPlayer has meant that Scottish comedy is available to those outside Scotland but with these shows often being buried in “other” parts of the site as if they are the ramblings of some crazed old man who had swallowed some leather-bound almanac. The thought that our neighbours are missing out on brilliant BBC 2 comedy which could easily be broadcast instead of repeats which are played instead on nationwide BBC 2 fills me with rage. You know; that kind of rage where you shake so much that you end up involuntarily stamping your feet like a petulant child? That’s me, that is.

However, then comes the counter to the argument. Would people outside Scotland actually enjoy shows like Burnistoun and Limmy’s Show? Well Chewin’ The Fat made the jump successfully as did Rab C. Nesbitt so is there an agenda against Scottish comedy at Television Centre? Is this all some massive conspiracy to stop Scottish comedy becoming

bigger than it is? Was it, in fact, a commissioning editor who was the man behind the grassy knoll in 1963? Probably not. As co-writer and co-star of Burnistoun, Robert Florence told me “If I’m commissioned to create a show for BBC Scotland, to be broadcast in Scotland, then I’m going to do everything I can to make sure a Scottish audience enjoys it. That’s who the show is for... If people outside Scotland like it too, then that’s a bonus.”

What an admirable notion. To make something for the people who have asked you to make it. It’s not trying to be something it’s not, it’s not trying to speak to people it shouldn’t but I feel like both Limmy’s Show and Burnistoun could appeal to an audience South (or West) of the border. Brian Limond, writer and star of Limmy’s Show says: “I’d like to think that my show could be understood by everybody, despite the dialect.”

Ahh, yes. You were shouting “but Michael! The accent!” at the pages of this magazine, weren’t you (nutter)? Well I’ve thought of that. There are so many accents on television which are more difficult to understand than Glaswegian. Take Frankie Boyle; a man from Glasgow. A man with much the same accent as both the stars of Burnistoun and Limmy’s Show yet he is held up as some kind of comedy demi-god (rightly or wrongly).

In essence, BBC Scotland and the writers of these shows have produced truly universal comedy which is funny for what it is and not for where it’s from. Sure, these shows are proud of their roots but is that really a reason to only show these programmes in Scotland? I don’t think so and I think if the people at the BBC looked at these shows versus some of the suspect output that they subject the entire country to then they would find that Scottish shows are at least worthy of a chance. So come on, BBC. Let’s have Burnistoun and Limmy’s Show on BBC 2 proper!

Michael Park

New places to shop in, new magazines and blogs to read about fashion, great cosmetic products to try on – I hope you will enjoy reading this section!

Moreover if you are interested in all things fashion you should definitely think about joining the University’s Fashion Society, which is now thriving after continued Cheers, Tatiana

recruitment of successful and valued members whom I would like to thank for contributing to the magazine (join also on Facebook).

I also want to wish good luck to all of you with your exams and have great summer break afterwards!

1�

Glasgow keeps on proving itself as one of the best shopping destination in Britain, recently adding to the portfolio of its stores in Princess Square one of my favourite brands COS.

This brand might seem an independent new brand to many of you, but originally it is H&M’s sub-brand which has developed its very distinct and differentiated Collection of Style (COS).

With opening its first store in 2007, and have stores in seven countries across Europe, COS has won a large number of fans among young pro-fessionals and middle and upper income fashion shoppers it targets.

If you enter any COS store you will not see piles of crazy and colourful clothes as in its sister brand H&M’s stores. However you will only be surprised by minimalist concepts whether it is design or format. Modern interior designs slightly resembling minimalist IKEA styles, with long rails full of women’s and menswear in current season colours, very simple but very sophisticated cuts – all which speaks authentic Swedish interior styling.

COS also has its own magazine which also serves as a lookbook – check it out if you are interested in fashion and you will be pleased to see interviews with such talents like Grace Coddington and many others.

I can’t resist trying on (and inevitably buying) dresses made out of incredible textiles, which you can shape the way you want but also very simple accessories that let YOU shine.

For those of you who have a headache over what to wear if you are invited for a job interview COS is the best place to go and get some really nice things to impress your future employers.

Tatiana

New places to shop in, new magazines and blogs to read about fashion, great cosmetic products to try on – I hope you will enjoy reading this section!

Moreover if you are interested in all things fashion you should definitely think about joining the University’s Fashion Society, which is now thriving after continued Cheers, Tatiana

recruitment of successful and valued members whom I would like to thank for contributing to the magazine (join also on Facebook).

I also want to wish good luck to all of you with your exams and have great summer break afterwards!

Collection of Style in the City!

Scarf by COS A/W 2010. Model Anna Myasina. Photo by www.elenaphotography.comStyle&make-up by Tatiana Ashakova using MAC

1�

Guide me t h r o u g h Glasgow’s f a s h i o n blogsAyeParty.co.uk is, according to the site “a lifestyle bible for the discerning Glaswegian, aimed at the alternative student and professional within Glasgow.” Aye Party certainly delivers the goods with topical news, interesting blogs and high quality photography from a broad range of events in Glasgow’s glittering underground scene.

handbagsandfaghags.wordpress.com is the blog of AyeParty contributor Rena Smith, and is a self-proclaimed “page for girls with balls, girls who want to have balls, balls who want to have girls and everything in-between.” Rena is always in the right place at the right time: The Arches, Art School even London Fashion Week, snapping the most a la mode in attendance.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor found at http://ttssglasgow.blogspot.com/ are a collection of Glasgow based designers, stylists, and buyers scouring the streets by day and night to bring you a little taste of Glasgow style

lesgarconsdeglasgow.blogspot.com is considered by many as Glasgow’s premier street-style site. It mainly captures the beautiful and the beautifully dressed going about their daily business on the streets of Glasgow. It certainly is beautifully shot, enigmatically captioned and becoming pretty well known.

When you think of fashion, your mind may not immediately jump to the internet, but with online shops such as Asos and Net-a-porter doing big business, and fashion designers tweeting like their careers depend on it, the web and fashion are hardly worlds apart.

Fighting for the world’s attention amongst all the net has to offer are the bloggers – providing commentary at the click of a mouse. Whether they’re posting catwalk images live from the runway, fawning over the latest designer offerings or writing about some starlet or another’s dress sense (or lack thereof), they have become an important part of the industry and a voice for a new generation of style enthusiasts.

The two major types of fashion blogs out there are General Industry Blogs, either written by anonymous insiders, or outsiders with strong opinions and Street Style blogs. Street fashion has recently made its way into the world of blogs with an increasing number now featuring fashion on real people, and showing how trends are applied in the real world. Here then is our guide to best blogs from in and around Glasgow and the style hunters stalking their fabulous prey in our own fair city!

All these blogs give you a very personal and interesting take on Glasgow’s finest and fanciest. Bloggers and hipsters beware, however, as one of the best websites of recent times is Latfh.com. To give it its full and rather frank title: Look at this F***ing Hipster is a site taking the proverbial out of well… effing hipsters everywhere with hilarious results…and we reckon Glasgow needs one of its very own!

Kirsty Brough

Guide me t h r o u g h Glasgow’s f a s h i o n blogs

1�

Our city is definitely one of the most vibrant in the UK. And do you know why? Last month Glasgow saw the launch of a new fashion magazine with high perspectives and big ambitions.

POSED magazine celebrated its first issue and attracted much attention at its launch party in Classic Grand. Fashion elite was happy to meet each other and congratulate Ian McInnes (Editor-in-chief and a superb photographer) who seemed to be very proud of his “child” and happy about bringing together an excellent team of creative souls and professionals who made an effort to create a magazine that would present the essence of the Scottish fashion world. Photographers, stylists and writers gave a birth to the “glossy” all of you were waiting to hit the country. Known and established talents have the right to be on its pages and it’s just what Scotland needs.

Tatiana

Spring freshness on your face

Tatiana (www.esteemmakeover.co.uk)

I probably sound like a mummy but I do recommend you all to start take care about your skin as soon as possible and not save on it!

I am happy to introduce you to a very versatile product by Estee Lauder “Ide-alist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher”. Why spend lots of money on millions of bot-tles when this beautiful bottle contains all needed ingredients, which help your skin stay fresh? I would recommend you to use it as soon as you get out of the shower while your skin is still warm and moist. It’s absorbed very quickly and you can apply your make-up straight away.

Another “must-have” I have been using constantly for around 5 years is YSL Touche Eclat concealer. For those of you whose skin doesn’t require any foundation but has some small blemishes or imperfections, this is the right product to use. It has a very light texture and when applied on those problem areas it blends into your complexion so perfectly that no one would ever think you’re wearing any make-up! Especially after long nights of writing essays this magical pen embellishes the eye-area and adds freshness to your look.

This season’s lip colour

is juicy and glossy coral.

However be careful to use

it if your complexion is too

pale, as it will not flatter

you. I have just tried glossy

Lipmix by MAC, which is

another versatile product

enabling you to mix and

customize lipstick, creating

any colour and texture. It

applies smoothly and stays

for quite a long time, as ac-tually any MAC products!

POSEDnot just a magazine

1�

Meet Bronto Skylift, the young Glasgow-based two piece consisting of singer/guitarist Neil Strachan of Inverness and drummer Iain Stewart of Orkney who are quickly making a name for themselves as one of Glasgow’s loudest and most energetic live bands.

It’s interesting how two-piece bands often manage to create even more of a distinctive sound than other bands of four members or more. Today’s rock scene has still got a sore arse from the massive kick DFA 1979 gave it through their chaotic 2004 debut “You’re a woman, I’m a machine” and it doesn’t need to be said what kind of influence the White Stripes have had over new and upcoming bands everywhere.

Bronto are certainly no exception to this as they have managed to forge their instantly heavy and frantic sound through just two instruments and a microphone. “We’re kind of noisy bits mixed with catchy bits, mixed with loud bits mixed with quiet bits if that serves as an explanation at all?” asks drummer Iain. Sadly it doesn’t, but with The Skinny claiming Bronto will “set your face on fire” and describing their live show as “an assault on all your senses” you can be sure that once you’ve heard them or been to one of their shows you’ll have no choice but to remember them for a very long time indeed.

“Yeah we’re pretty much just a big noisy mess,” Iain laughs, “Obviously we take the band seriously but I don’t think the listener is really supposed to. I took the skinny’s comments

as a compliment though; it shows we’re not boring anyway – certainly not background music, it’s very hard to talk to the person next to you when we’re playing!”

Their live show serves as a ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ kind of affair where the duo crash confidently through tracks with such velocity that you’re left standing alone, confused and aching due to the fact that they not only played a handful of tracks but also somehow managed to rip your arms off and beat you to half to death with your own shoes. Iain claims: “I think the fact there’s just the two of us definitely makes us work harder live – if we’re on the same bill as say a five-piece then of course we’ll want to up our game and play harder”.

Having spent the past three years experimenting with tracks and gigging in Scotland which saw appearances at T in the park, Belladrum and the Wickerman festival (this summer also saw them play a festival in Norway where they were the only foreign band on the bill), the band are now making the final improvements to their debut album, due for release later this year; “I think we’ve got a name...yeah we’re thinking of calling the album White Crow...” Iain speculates; “Is that an exclusive? Yeah I think it is!”

You can find out more about Bronto Skylift and upcoming gigs at www.myspace.com/brontoskylift

Rory Herron

Less is More: Introducing... Bronto Skylift

1�

Meet the man behind the best nights in Glasgow

To say Matthew Craig is a busy boy is a bit of an understatement. Not content with running and promoting some of the most successful DIY nights in Glasgow, (One More Tune, Itch! Cheap and Nasty,) masterminding events for Subcity Radio and playing good old fashioned vinyl all over town, he just stuck his finger in another tasty pie. On Tuesday Craig unveiled his latest venture, ‘I AM’ (The Sub Club, Jamaica Street) combining an anything goes music policy with artwork, cheap drinks and hypnotic visuals from Ian Guy (Thunder Disco Club.)If In a fickle clubbing climate like Glasgow he’s managed to keep young guns coming back for more with nights promising everything from dub to disco, techno to tropical, and occasionally bass so big it makes you go a bit cross-eyed. Where Matthew goes, spilt drinks, sticky floors and sick notes are sure to follow.

Jenny Grant

Full name: Matthew W.P. Craig

Age: 23

Occupation: Deejay

Describe yourself in 3 objects: Sine waves, cowbells and noon the morning after.

First record: Underground Resistance – ‘Timeline’

Currently listening to: Mark David, Al Quinn and Ralph Thomson.

3 Glasgow DJs that inspired you: Optimo, Numbers, Hudson Mohawke.

Best memory from one of your nights: Johnny Wilkes destroyed the crowd at One More Tune on my 21st birthday with one of the most magical sets I’ve heard. Afterwards he told me it was good to see young guys playing record - vinyl is a beautiful thing.

Favourite thing about the Glasgow club scene: Glasgow has a huge heart and if you make art with passion you get more reaction and love than anywhere else I know.

Dream gig: Playing live with Carl Craig, our names go well together.

When do you sleep? Eh? I sleep constantly. Maybe I should produce music for sleepers too?

I AM: Matthew Craig

ber, need at?

0

20

Enlightenment Farewell OptimoFor the past 13 years, a small portion of Glasgow’s student population have found making it to classes on a Monday considerably more difficult than usual due to one very good reason. DJs Twitch and Wilkes have been rocking the Sub Club with Optimo (Espacio) every Sunday since 1997; a night that has risen to become one of the most (in)famous student club-nights worldwide in that it pushes all buttons and all boundaries when it comes to clinging onto the weekend. With notorious after-parties and guest performances from all over the electronic music spectrum (includ-ing the likes of Modeselektor, Mad Profes-sor, LCD Soundsystem and Cut Copy) the night has become an institution in of dance culture in Glasgow where upon entry you could be hit in the face by anything from funk to disco to rock to techno.

Sadly, on March 11th the duo posted a message on their website, shocking Glasgow’s clubbing community with the news that on April 25th the fat lady will sing and Optimo will end their residency at the Subby. Part of the message read:

“We have loved doing Optimo with all our hearts, but our hearts are also telling us it is time to call a halt to it. Playing at, organising and promoting a weekly night takes up an enormous amount of energy and there are so many other things we want to do that some of that energy is needed for other projects. We need to get our lives and weeks back a little bit and take on new challenges and opportunities (we have to turn down an awful lot of opportunities by being committed to being in Glasgow every Sunday and being wiped out every Monday)”

As well as putting together the forthcoming Fabric 52 mix (due for release in May), Twitch and Wilkes will continue to tour, promote and release music as Optimo but it will no longer be possible to hear them DJ at the Sub Club every Sunday night. Following the final date in April, the duo will begin promoting a new night at Sub Club called “Optimo Presents... Shake It Up,” which will feature guests selected by Optimo as well as the duo themselves. DJ Wilkes commented: “Twitch and I will play

together, and individually, at it occasionally (maybe once per month), but we’re going to invite other people to play. When we started Optimo we used to pull in a lot of different people from around the city to do different things, and we’re interested in doing that again.”

Optimo Sundays at the Sub Club will be a huge void to fill and the night will be sorely missed by many who happened to grace their dance floor on a Sunday night over the past 13 years. However, with a new breed of DIY student club-nights quickly making a name for themselves in Glasgow; the forward-thinking of our city’s club promoters and the dedication of all those at the good ship Subby there’s no way that Sunday nights will suddenly become a bleak affair. Twitch and Wilkes, via their online message said it best: “Who knows what this new venture will morph into but whatever it is, we hope that the anarchic spirit we brought to the Sub Club in 1997 will continue to prevail on Sunday nights.” Optimo Espacio, we salute you!

Rory Herron

The end of an era...

21

Enlightenment or Nightmare On Elm Street??

A Path To

If you are an outdoorsy type you might be consid-ering a wee jaunt into the countryside for a spot of walking, mountaineering or scrambling this sum-mer – if rain, mud and midges are your thing. If so why not give the West Highland Way a bash – 96 miles of pure countryside joy or a week of pain and punishment, depending on what side of the fence you are on. Here is a brief diary of how I got on.

Day 1 - Milngavie to Balmaha (20 MILES)

Having been told that the record time to complete

the walk was 15 hours 44 minutes and old ladies

with plastic hips and colostomy bags complete

the trip every year. I must be honest, even tho

I’m no Mr Motivator (although I do dress like

him from time to time) having played sport and

kept fairly active for years and now ticking over

with the odd game of 5s. I was thinking this mini

adventure was going to be a light skip along the

yellow brick road.

My fiancée and I were at the start line bright

and early, dark clouds hovered overhead but

we didn’t mind, excitement and adrenaline had

jaded my usual pessimistic outlook and I was just

eager to get going. I had walked from Milngavie

to Balmaha before, all be it in stages - but I was

feeling confident because I knew the road.

The days walking was fairly uneventful, the path

is mostly flat all the way to Conic Hill (which is

just before Balmaha). The winds going up the

hill were gale force and made the climb quite

challenging – but the views of Loch Lomond

from the hill are spectacular (the highlight of the

walk for me) and the finish line for day one is

in sight which really spurs you on. We arrived

at our digs ahead of schedule and apart from a

couple of niggles in one piece. Our room was

basic but comfortable, a shower and clean soft

bed were a welcome sight. We got a tasty meal

– thankfully the plate of food was gargantuan

and satisfied my huge appetite. After applying

plenty of Vaseline to our tired feet it was time

for bed, it was 8.15pm.

Day 2 - Balmaha to Inversnaid (14 MILES)

Up bright and early again, my leg muscles felt like leed and joints were creaking like an old door, but surprisingly I still felt optimistic about the whole thing and raring to go – even tho the weather outside was stormier than Pete Doherty’s relationship with soap. The days’ walking was quite exciting. Balmaha to Rowardennan was fairly flat and uneventful but Rowardennan to Inversnaid had sections of walking along the banks of Loch Lomond. Scrambling over rocks and ledges was fun and there were some great scenic points to take in along the way. Arriving in Inversnaid after a days walking was a relief, my knee was shredded and we had been getting pounded by the weather all day. Unfortunately the hotel at the end of the path that day was not the one we were staying in. If that wasn’t deflating enough, the staff in the hotel were amongst the most horrible human beings I have ever encountered – iv never met a nazi that worked in the concentration camps, but I bet they were nicer than the people I came across in that hotel, and to add insult to injury our bed for the night was at the top of what seemed the biggest hill ever made, it turned and twisted like a coiled spring. I found myself praying that the bunkhouse would be round the next corner, after about an hour (which felt like a week) we were there. A beautiful converted church, as soon as we walked in the door we were cheerily greeted by other walkers and the guy running the place. The contrast couldn’t have been more different from ‘castle grey skull’ at the bottom of the hill. The guy running the place (who’s name escapes me) was genuinely happy to be there and told us we are meant to call him from the bottom of the hill to get picked up. (Normally that would have been of no consolation to me at all, but strangely the guy’s chirpy demeanour gave me a lift).

After a nice warm shower and changing in to my fleecy trousers and oversized hoodie we lounged about in the bright comfortable

common area upstairs, nursing each others wounds (well my fiancée was nursing me whilst I moaned like Victor Meldrew on a bad day) and chatting to other walkers and outdoorsy types, all of whom seemed much happier that they were doing the West Highland Way than I did. Dinner that night was truly a 3 course culinary feast. Soup, steak or fish and a pudding all local produce and cooked to perfection by our one-man band mystery man, and all for the price of a KFC. I couldn’t score this place any higher, the building was beautiful, amazing original beams and stain glass windows, the staff were great, the other guests were great, the food was amazing, even the beer was cheap. After sipping down a few beers and listening to some tunes we retired for the night to our bunkroom. Each room sleeps 4, but the place wasn’t that busy so we had the small, very basic room to ourselves. I done my feet then crashed out, I think it was about 8pm.

Arrive Milngavie 07.45 approxDrop off bag at 08.00 (down the ramp)

Leave 8am

Walk good pace all day, couple of stops for snack and lunch (15 mins break and 30 mins lunch)

Arrive 17.30 approx

Oak tree Inn BalmahaLoch LomondG63 0JQTelephone: 01360 870 357

Arrange breakfast for as early as possible around 7-7.30 am (if possible).

Remember to bring clothes, food and essentials on this trip to Inversnaid as bag is not being delivered here.

Try to get walking for 8.30-9am

Twin RoomBed And Breakfast£75

Deposit Paid - £75Still To Pay - £0

8th May – Balmaha to Inversnaid (14 MILES)Leave 8.30-9amBalmaha to Rowardennen. Have a 15min break. Aim to arrive in Rowardennen at approx 1pm, which will allow for a half hour lunch. This walk is approx 8miles.

Rowardennen to Inversnaid is approx 6 miles – good walking. Take the high road.Arrive at 5pm approx.

Go to hotel initially and then go to bunkhouse.

Inversnaid BunkhouseDave And RosieInversnaidStirlngshireFK8 3TU Telephone: 01877 386 249

Arrange breakfast for as early as possible around 7-7.30 am (if possible).Try to get walking for 8-8.30am

Triple RoomBed£34

Deposit Paid - £ 34Still To Pay - £ 0

Day 4 - Tyndrum to Bridge Of Orchy (7

MILES)

After a nice long lie, we were up and ready

to go. I was considering throwing in the

towel, my leg felt seriously damaged. But

the weather had turned for the better – the

sun was splitting the sky, we had a really

easy days walking and the painkillers had

kicked in. So we were off. It was really a

rest day, initially we had intended to stay at

Inverornan which is about another 5 miles

down the road but it was fully booked. At

that point I was quite happy to only be

walking 7 miles tho – I was in serious need

of a rest. The walk was great, we took our

time, enjoyed the sun and the scenery and

took plenty of breaks. The path was flat

and fairly straight most of the day and it

didn’t take us long to get to Bridge of Orchy.

The hotel was lovely, though we were

staying in the bunkhouse round the back.

The accommodation was basic, but we had

a room to ourselves which was a decent

size. After getting cleaned up we hit the bar

/ restaurant for dinner and drinks. The food

was superb – seared scallops followed by

chicken then crème brulee. We had a great

night, the hotel has a terrace looking out

over mountains and forests – beer in hand

and resting my leg on a chair, a perfect

end to a good day. We were getting bold

bed at 9.30pm

9th May – Inversnaid to Tyndrum (19 MILES)

Leave 8-8.30am

Inversnaid to Inveraran is approx 8 miles. Keep good pace for this walk. On arrival have lunch at Benglas Farm. Inveranran to Crainlarich is approx 6 miles. At turn off point Tyndrum is to the left. From this point there is approx another 5 miles.

It’s important to keep a good pace all day!!!!

Arrive 6pm approx.

Dalkell Cottages (on left) Angela And Chris SclaterLower Station Road (look for scot rail sign)TyndrumPerthshireFK20 8RYTelephone: 01838 400 285

Arrange breakfast any time!!!!Try to get walking for around 10-11am.

Mobile Holiday Home Bed And Breakfast (In Dining Room Of Main House) £50

Deposit Paid - £ 30Still To Pay - £ 20

10th May – Tyndrum to Bridge Of Orchy (7 MILES)

Leave 10-11am

Approx 3-4 hours walk today. Very comfortable.Stop and enjoy today! Look for the wee green caravan.Enjoy the hotel and have nice meal.

Arrive 2-3pm approx

Bridge Of Orchy BunkhouseBridge Of OrchyArgyllPA36 4AD Telephone: 01838 400 208

Arrange breakfast for as early as possible around 7-7.30 am (if possible).

Try to get walking for 8-8.30am

2 bedded room and linen£ 30

Deposit Paid - £ 30Still To Pay - £ 0

Day 3 - Inversnaid to Tyndrum (19 MILES)

Up bright and early again, my legs had

decided their trip was over. Unfortunately

I aggravated an old knee injury whilst

scrambling the previous day and I could

barley make it to the bathroom at the end

of the hallway and getting upstairs for

breakfast was like a scene from a carry on

film. However after a crackin breakfast, big

mug of tea and a hand full of Brufen – we

were ready to hit the road. The mystery

man gave us a lift down the hill, which

seemed just as big as it did the previous

day and it was time to get going. After

giving the hotel at the bottom of the hill

a two fingered salute we were off – my

fiancée marching like a well-fed marine and

me hobbling like a one legged drunk behind

her. Half of the days walking was along

the loch side scrambling like the previous

day, which I dealt with surprisingly well.

However after lunch was one of the worst

periods of my life. The pain in my knee had

spread to my ankle and every step was

excruciating. It didn’t help that we listened

to the Celtic v Rangers game in a pub filled

with kilt wearing, sword wielding Rangers

fans at lunch time which Rangers won 1

– 0. That afternoon I felt like my walk was

over, every step sent jabs of pain up my

leg. I was swallowing Brufen like smarties

in an effort to keep going. My fiancée who

I think had heard enough of my moaning

was now walking about a mile in front

me, which spurred me on and pissed me

off at the same time. The only thing apart

from the Brufen that kept me going was

the thought of finishing the days walking –

then arranging my transport home. When I

eventually caught up with the Mrs (because

she had stopped walking for about 15min)

my first thought was to kill her for getting

me in to this mess, but reality hit home – I

realised she would probably overpower me

and leave me for dead on that god forsaken

path. A botched crime of passion, and

being physically beaten by a 5ft 2in girl is

not the way I want to go out. So another

hand full of pills, some chocolate and a slug

of water and we were on our way again.

Soon I heard the best news I had heard all

day – I think its just round here, said the

Mrs. I could feel my pain killers wearing

off but I decided to conserve my supplies if

we were almost there. Two hours later we

were still walking – well she was walking, I

was dragging myself along like Quasimodo

on ether, wishing I had at least tried to kill

her earlier. But finally we arrived, setting

eyes on the clapped out static caravan we

were staying in was like winning the lottery

and pulling Cheryl Cole all rolled in to

one. Normally I would have moaned about

how unappealing the grotty trailer was,

but today it was better than Gleneagles.

We got cleaned up, changed and then

crawled to the chippy round the corner

for some dinner. Truth be told after getting

washed, fed and swallowing enough pills

to tranquilise Amy Winehouse I felt pretty

good. I hit the wall many times that day, and

got through it. We cuddled up in front of the

T.V and watched the X Factor, crashed out

about 9pm.

Final Day - Kinlochleven to Fort William (14 MILES)

The final stretch – thank god. My body was in bits after the abuse it had taken over the previous 5 days, and if it wasn’t the last day I don’t think I would have carried on. I was in constant pain and the fact that the Mrs looked as if she had just been for a stroll round the park and I looked like I had a month in a POW camp didn’t help. After a hearty breakfast, (every item of which was labelled) and a hand full of recently acquired Brufen we were off. Every day we started walking it took me a couple of miles to set-tle in – get my joints loose, muscles warm and painkillers working. Unfortunately the first couple of miles on this day were up a steep hill, probably the most demanding part of the days walking. The final days’ walking incorporates a bit of everything, flat paths, forest trails, mountain tracks and the final stretch is along the side of a road. all in all the day is pretty good, the scenery is glorious at times, and best of all the finish line is in sight The Mrs had said when you get to the road the end post is only 1 mile away – its more like 3. But eventually we were there, the sun was beaming down, and I had managed to relegate the thought that my leg might be permanently damaged to the back of my mind – to enjoy the thought that this nightmare was over. After a plate of chips and can of irn bru at the finishing post I had to get some alternative footwear – because I planned to burn my walking boots at the first opportunity. Squeegee flip flops and the hotel hot tub was all I could think about. When I said earlier that my favourite part of the walk was the view of Loch Lomond from Conic Hill, I was lying. My favourite part was relaxing in the hotel hot tub at the end!

As you have probably noticed I done my

fair share of moaning throughout the walk. But truth be told I did really enjoy it. The landscapes and scenery that you experience along the way are memories that will stay with you forever and really show off what Scotland has to offer. Whilst walking we met so many lovely people aswell from all over the world – it makes you appreciate the beauty of the country we live in.

At the end of the day I would recommend the West Highland Way to anyone that enjoys a challenge, the outdoors and soar feet. The biggest piece of advice I would give to anyone considering the walk would be to use the ‘Travel Lite’ service – they take your big supply bag from place to place, and don’t make the mistake I made that the walk was easy. I would have managed the walk and enjoyed it a lot more if I hadn’t shredded my knee – but it would still have been a challenge. So prepare yourself for a bit of a beating and make sure you take plenty of painkillers and compeed, because the walk is a ‘path to enlightenment’ but can be ‘nightmare on elm street’.

Day 5 - Bridge Of Orchy to Kinlochleven (21 MILES)

It took a while for the painkillers to kick in, I think my body was growing impervious to their power, but eventually we were ready to get going. The days walking took us over Ranoch Moor and the devil’s staircase. All was going well over Rannoch Moor – my leg was holding up and the scenery was amazing, I was actually starting to enjoy the walk again. Going up devil’s staircase I was wondering what the name was all about, it was like the stairway to heaven. The climb was steady but not too demanding, the weather again was great and we even got to enjoy watching two RAF Tornados training between the jagged mountains around us. Then on the final stretch I realised that the devil’s staircase got its name because of its descent rather than climb. The pressure on my knee coming down the vast trail was immense. I had to edge my way down at a snails pace, hoards of people that we had passed earlier in the day were now trickling past me, I felt they were enjoying my demise

– but in reality they probably didn’t even notice me. At this point I again felt my walk was over, and I would be lucky to make it the couple of miles to Kinlochleven let alone another whole days walking. We eventually made it to our digs, I was past moaning – my body felt beaten and broken and I wanted to scream with the pain, I had even run out of Brufen and had to make do with poxy Paracetamol. Luckily the guesthouse we were staying in was run by a lovely wee woman, she managed to cheer me up with her bright demeanor, pot of tea and a strip of Brufen. We settled in to the cozy house, our room was more like staying in your aunt’s spare room as opposed to a guesthouse – apart from the amazingly liberal use of signs every ware. There was even signs next to all the light switches saying “LIGHT SWITCH”, brilliant! After a wash we stumbled round to the local pub for dinner. A massive plate of food was a welcome sight, burger, chips and a pint, then we stumbled back round the corner for an early night. Being bold was not on the cards that night – bed at 7.30pm.

11th May – Bridge Of Orchy to Kinlochleven (21 MILES)

Leave 8-8.30Today is an excellent day walking over Rannoch Moor and Devils Staircase.Bridge Of Orchy to Inveroran is approx 5 miles, this will take approx 2 hours walking. Stop for short coffee break at the hotel.Inveroran to Kingshouse is approx 9miles. This will take approx 4 hours walking. Have lunch here. Kingshouse to Kinlochleven is approx 7-8 miles. This will take around 4 hours.

Remember to pace well over Devils Staircase. En-joy the view from the top looking back over Etive More.Arrive 6pm approx.

Anne HamerForest View24 Wades Road (Go over the little wooden bridge. Don’t go left, go right)KinlochlevenArgyll, PH50 4QXTelephone: 01855 831 302

Arrange breakfast for as early as possible around 7-7.30 am (if possible).Try to get walking for 8.30-9am

Bed And BreakfastDouble Room£ 52

Deposit Paid - £ 20Still To Pay - £ 32

12th May – Kinlochleven to Fort William (14 MILES)

Leave 8.30-9am

When leaving Kinlochleven after about 1mile the path will start to climb. Pace yourself and have short breaks. Remember when you get to the top there is very little climbing for the rest of the day. This is the last day. Nice walking all day.

Arrive 4pm approx

On arrival have a well deserved coffee and plate of chips.TAKE A PHOTO !!!!!!!!

Ben Nevis Hotel And Leisure ClubNorth RoadFort WilliamPH33 6TGTelephone: 01397 702 331

Good luck !

Double RoomDinner, Bed Breakfast£ 110

Deposit Paid - £ 0Still To Pay - £ 110

2�

BAD WINEEVIL DESIGN

100% OF DESIGNERS AGREE IT’S A MUST SEE!*

THE “EVIL” EXHIBITION

£FREE E

NTRY

GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY PRESENTS THE GREATEST GRAPHIC DESIGN EXHIBITION TO EVER GRACE YOUR EYES*

SHOWING AT THE PENTAGON BUSINESS CENTRE IN GLASGOW FROM MAY 5TH TO MAY 7TH

FEELING GOOD? TOO GOOD? NEED TO BE BAD?

WELL WE’VE GOT JUST WHAT YOU NEED!

*THIS STATEMENT MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF EXAGGERATION