Christmas Venues in Edinburgh | Party Packages & Offers 2020

As the title says I’m turning 20 years old. I have learned a lot being a teenager, it’s the prime of our lives, it’s where we finish secondary school, get our first part-time job, choose a university, or leave school and get a full-time job. Personally, I have learnt a lot, most of it is from my own experiences but I wish someone else had told me earlier on before I found out for myself. I wouldn’t say I’m leaving this sub forever; I’ll give myself the “old” tag and give advice where I think I could be of help. I would still like to write the bulk of what I’ve learned here to help you. 1. I see a lot of posts about mental health and suicide and you need to know it’s okay not to be okay. Help is out there I love helping people I enjoy it, so please message me if you need help. I to have felt depressed at times, one major thing about me is that I care too much about what people think about me, if someone has a problem I want to know why. If you’re like this too learn to let things roll of your back and ignore them. 2. Stop worrying about relationships at 13 to 16 years old, at the time of writing this I haven’t had a girlfriend yet nor anything even close, nothing lasted more than a night 2 days at the most. We will all find someone at some point. I have thought about losing my virginity to a prostitute, it might fun, and I shouldn’t regret it, but I probably would. 3. Do well in school, one of my biggest regrets is being too busy trying to be the funny popular guy trying to be everyone’s friend, I failed at both having a huge circle of friends and failed school as well. 4. Your school grades don’t define who you are. There are plenty of options for you to take and still do what you want to do but doing as well as you can in school will make doing what you want easier. 5. Get a part time job once you are old enough. Even if it a volunteer job it will give you much needed work experience that will help you eventually get a paid job. Also looks good on a university application. Try and avoid customer service for your first! 6. Save up your money. I understand once you start working you might be tempted to spend your money on new games or PC upgrades I know I was, and that’s ok, it’s nice to treat ourselves every so often, however even putting just £50 aside each month into a savings account will help massively for when you wish to buy a car, pay for university or pay for when you decide to go on holiday with friends after you finish school and help you get a property for when you wish to move out. 7. If you know what to do you could invest your money in stocks, I wish I’d known to do that sooner, if you can invest £100 each month into shares over a few months or years your portfolio will grow and hopefully if you bought the right shares could make some sweet profit. 8. Carrying on from number 3. Use this time while you’re still at home to travel, I live in the UK so after we did A levels (I did engineering Btec) after saving up for about 2 years my friends and I were able to go interrailing (backpacking as the Americans call it!) through Europe for 4 weeks. But only do this with friends that you know you can have fun with. The people I went with didn’t enjoy going out to clubs and getting drunk as much as I do, so I wish I had gone with people I could do that with. 9. if it, it’s too good to be true it usually is 10. your Parents don’t always know best, if you want to follow a career path and your parents don’t agree do it, you will regret it. Thankfully I have parents that support me in whatever I do, but I know people that do. 11. Don’t hang around people who aren’t your friends. Fake people are the worst people, people like this will uses you, manipulate you and lie to you. 12. It is ok to have no friends, there is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Eventually you will find a small social crowds with whom you will do everything with. 13. As Chris Gardner once said Plan B and C are rubbish, stick to your plan A and you will succeed. 14. People don’t always change; some do I am completely different now than 2 years ago. But some people I was at school with are the same, they are the same dickhead who likes to be funny by putting others down, people like that are stuck in their own little world to scared to realize that they have been left behind due to still being immature. 15. As I said in 11 and 4 if you don’t have fun you will regret it, I promise you, one of the friends I went with told me he regrets not smoking weed in Amsterdam or getting drunk on £1 beers in Budapest and wants to go again to have the experience he didn’t. Life is fun enjoy it while you can. 16. You will probably have that night where you go to a party or a night out in town where you’ll drink too much and get beyond the point of wasted, at the time you’ll feel like shit and regret it but after time for me it was a year it becomes something you and your friends laugh at especially when they tell you all the things you can’t remember. 17. “In game theory, it serves you to be two-faced. Be everyone's friend 'til the moment you're not. Make them love you so much that when they're up against you, their own loyalty will act against their own self-interests”. That's game theory. This was taken from one of my favourite TV series prison break. And I think it perfectly describes social interaction between teenagers and young adults. People will use you and you will use people even when that wasn’t your intention. I’ve been used by people id call my closest friends some did it intentionally some not. 18. Find a hobby there is no such thing as an odd or weird hobby, it allows you to find a common interest with people allowing you to make new friends and meet people, when I turned 18 my hobby was cigars, I’d go to various cigar lounges around London and meet people obviously they were older but the best thing about a cigar is the great conversation that comes with it. That’s just my opinion. 19. You will most likely regret the things you didn’t do not the things you did. Don’t dwell on the past and your previous mistakes focus on the present and the future. If there is someone you fancy, ask them out what’s the worst that will happen? They might say yes worst case they say no. but at least you tried. 20. At a nightclub or festival where your surrounded by people you don’t know, never except a drink from anyone if it wasn’t poured out Infront of you. First time I went clubbing I excepted a drink of champagne from someone I didn’t know in one of London’s busiest clubs I was lucky that it was fine. 21. Never shake someone’s hand sitting down and always grip firmly and make eye contact. 22. In a negation never make the first offer. 23. Take the time to talk to a homeless person, they sometimes have the most interesting stories and lessons to teach. Everyone falls on hard times, someone I spoke to was a veteran and ended up losing his home. 24. Friends come and go 25. Never stop in the pursuit of happiness 26. Loneliness isn’t forever. The most popular person may also feel alone. 27. It might not be a good life, but it’s your life so live it. 28. You can never please everyone, live for yourself and not others I know this is a long post but below I’ve left a summary of all the things I’ve done and experienced being a teenager (2012 – 2021) 11-12: Started secondary school where I made new friends and experienced a whole new environment including no more packed lunches. 12-13: Another year of secondary school, made it into the higher level classes for science and IT, at this point I started to experience bullying for the first time from the same person I was friends with the year before, I also entered my schools coding competition where we competed against the neighbouring school in who could create the best game on scratch. During this year I re-kindled a past friendship with someone from primary school whom I drifted apart from. We remain close to this day. (He won the coding competition with a moon landing game). Joined my school’s car mechanics club too. 13-14 3rd year of school, the bullying started getting worse. Applied for the bronze Duke of Edinburgh award ( for the non-brits here it’s an award scheme where the participant has to take part in volunteering, something physical a skill and finally a hiking expedition) no you don’t get to meet prince philip until you complete the gold award too. Picked my GCSE options. Had my first real crush (this was a fiasco in itself) as well as had my first kiss with someone else (another awful experience). 14-15 Aight cool year 10, time to start my GCSE studies and think about the future. The bullying reached its peak I lost it tried to fight him failed sort of, I got a few punched in before teachers came and pulled us apart, spent the rest of that day and the whole next day internal exclusion room, him too. (was oddly fun ngl), might I add that even the headteacher was aware of the bullying and didn’t care neither did the pastoral manager who when I told her about the first time told me to go away and grow up. Completed my Silver Duke of Edinburgh award. I never completed the last level (gold). 15-16 Woo last year of high school time to sit the exams that so many people think will ruin their lives if they fail. Yes the best you do will allow you to go on and do better things like a good university or doing the A levels you want, but it won’t stop you getting the career you want, you will just need to take a different path to get there like I did. Towards the summer I was getting ready to go on Israel tour my first time away from home for more than a week and to a new country without my family. For those of you that don’t know what Israel tour is, it is when you go to the state of Israel for 3 weeks maybe more depending on the tour organiser and see various sites such as the western wall, dead sea, Masada, ride camels in the desert, live on an army base for a few days as part of a small boot camp type thing (my favourite part) and much, much more. On this though I sadly realised that some people can’t be trusted and will stab you in the back, my “friend” liked the same person I did and instead of saying something to me he just spoke shit about me to her. 16-17 Secondary school, been there done that got the fucking t shirt. After not doing as well as I expected to in my GCSE exams, I had to change my plan slightly. I wanted to go into forensic science to do this I wanted to study level 3 Btec in applied science, but because I had failed 2 of my exams (the important ones) I had to do a level 2 course instead (same subject but lower level) during this year being in a new environment from the last I bought and smoked weed for the first time as well as getting my first hangover. During this year I was able to re sit my exams I passed 1 but still failed the other. I realised that the subject I was doing was no longer my passion. I got my first part time job as a receptionist so I could build my first gaming PC. My other close mate: after helping him meet his first girlfriend which by this point was at the 8- or 9-months mark, the 2 of them wanted to help me find someone. After fancying the same girl for the last 3 years at this point they introduced me to someone else, we were all away on a summer camp together so after being introduced we got talking for the next 4 whole days became really close only for on the last night before the big party for her friend to talk shit about me to her (seems to be a pattern here). A week later I had my second snog (kiss, make out, get with) with someone else (whatever u want to call it), this one was decent this happened to me on the NCS award (national citizen service) it’s like the Duke of Edinburgh award. 17-18 As I said before science was no longer what I wanted to do, so I changed to engineering at a new college (community college for the Americans). As I still didn’t have a C grade or above in my remaining GCSE exam, I had to do another level 2 course to pass. I got a new job as a waitekitchen assistant. started talking to another girl who in many ways she was a female version of me, we agreed on everything and got on well had so much in common it was unreal. My mate sadly broke up with his girlfriend so he was on the market too looking for someone else, I suggested to him that for his 18th he should throw a massive party, he agreed. I saw it as the perfect opportunity to make a move on the girl I was talking too; so, I invited her as my plus one. I got to his house early to help setup the house, she arrived about an hour later. I made a poor miss judgment that night and drunk about half a bottle of Russian standard vodka (no mixers). Being my drunk self I stumbled over to her and we began talking, then guess who comes over to us the same girl who cock blocked me previously and she does the god damn same, I have to admit me being as drunk as I was at That point definitely didn’t help. As you could I lost my shit at the person who yet again ruined something for me I went off on one in front of the whole goddamn party by this point the full force of my drinking hit me, I was unrollable cursing at the bitch who for the second time ruined something I had with someone. By this point the girl I invited left early, and my parents were called to pick me up. FYI the party stared at 8 I was home by 9 30 passed out. The girl I invited never spoke to me again I tried to apologise she didn’t really want much to do with me (understandable). My 18th I went clubbing for the first time and experienced a casino for the first time (played blackjack with £25 walked out with £120(I don’t encourage gambling, only play with what you can afford to lose)). The night club itself was something I didn’t enjoy all too much, main reason being there was only a few of us and the club was full of much older crowd than us, drinks where a fortune too, it was fun I enjoyed being out in the capital with my close mates at that time. It’s all about finding clubs that offer student nights where the crowd will be younger. Summertime, before the majority from my year head to university they all host a second school prom a reunion. This night again I learnt that people can and will be 2 faced if it serves them better. A girl who my mate had been helping me get talking to decided that the night before prom at a separate party he would make out with her himself (I was fine with that; I wasn’t at that party). I got invited to pre-drinks at this girls house the minute I walked in something felt off, it wasn’t until later I knew why; I found out my mate had made out with her the night before, unexpectedly he apologised to me (he didn’t need to, however I told him it was fine and move on) I was still hoping to get with her. 20 minutes later Infront of me the same mate of mine and the same girl were making out again (now I was pissed, first you apologise and then 20 minutes later do it Infront of me and everyone making me look like a mug). And again he apologises I played the bigger man held myself back from sparking him in the face and said that once is a mistake, 2 times is a slap in the face) this mate of mine was coming traveling with me 3 days later we didn’t speak until then. I went interrailing (traveling) through Europe with 4 mates that summer. 18-19 What was supposed to be my first year at university turned out to be another year at community college. This was also the start of where things got bad for me, by this point all my friends have had some sexual experience except me. My social crowd at this point is dwindling slowly at the time I didn’t notice I was just being left out more, (looking back, with some of my friends I was a background friend). I was finally on level 3 Btec engineering and have finally passed my last exam that I needed (took 4 attempts but if at first you don’t succeed try, try again). 19-20 (Present) Ok things are bad, I’ve realised that only 2 of my close mates are my only friends ( I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known, don’t know where it goes but its home to me, I walk alone). I knew for a while since the previous summer that most of the people I trust and call my friends don’t care about me. I only ever spoke to them If I was lucky enough to be invited out on the rare occasion (I would usually have to be the one to make the effort). I wanted to rid of the people who don’t care about me, I never thought for a second 2 of my other close mates (separate from the ones I mentioned in 19-20, they will always be my close mates) would be the ones to go first. One of these mates was someone who I had so many memorise with, we went clubbing together, wingmen for each other, I allowed him to get off with someone at my house while I was asleep in the same room (didn’t know until the morning); and now since the start of the coronavirus pandemic we haven’t spoken or seen one another and is telling people it’s my fault. (he and many others know that if I have done something to upset someone I will always be happy to fix it, I hate beefing with people) I realised he didn’t care for me no more, the memories we had together meant so much to me and nothing to him, he’s part of a new social crowd most of them I know and have also tried to get close with but I was never able to. I know I did something wrong to make all these people pull away from me I just don’t know what, I run so many possible reasons through my head but none make sense or seem big enough to make to a huge social crowd no longer want me around (popularity baffles me, it’s one thing I’ve never been nor able to understand). Now in my FINAL year of college and looking at either looking at going to university to study either Aerospace or Electronics engineering, getting an apprenticeship or I may join the army or the royal air force. I kind of wish I studied law. All I really want for my self is a job I’m proud of, something that when someone asks what I do for a living I can tell them and not be embarrassed or ashamed and not have to lie or exaggerate about it. However, before coronavirus hit the UK badly, I started a new part time job in retail pays very well for what it is, and I get nice bonuses I still managed to keep it through the lockdown. Been predicted high grades for my course more than enough for my university choices and the apprenticeships schemes I want. As I said at the beginning, this isn’t goodbye. I’ll still be here offering advice where I see fit giving my wisdom to those who need it. Also, if any of you need to talk or any advice drop me a message on here and I’ll try my best to help. “life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”
-u/randomhuman_23
Edit: i hope this doesn't get lost in new

*Edit: Miranda's comments are bolded...
Hey there Miranda, it is really great of you to answer some questions about Pure Pwnage. The fans are really excited to hear what you have to say. Before I get to that, let me just say that everyone wants to offer their congratulations on being a mommy. Now then, on to the questions...
​Thanks for reaching out. I'm happy to answer questions to the community!​
1) Jarett and Geoff once told the story about offering you the role as Tagi, but could you tell us from your point of view how that whole thing went down? There is a rumor that you thought they might be making an adult film or something...?​
​There's no ​rumor, and if anything I'm the one that started it. I just have a terrible sense of humor. It started in 2004 (I think!) when I was asked about how I got involved with the series. ​​​​I auditioned just like other people did. The way that I got an audition was that Geoff was working at my university as an RA and his girlfriend was in the same year as me, so we had lots of mutual friends. Geoff approached me in the dining hall one night and asked me if I wanted to audition, and I said yes. The joke that I started was that he said it's an "internet show" and if you remember, back in 2003 there was no such thing as an internet show. So I joked in an interview that it seemed like he was asking me to be apart of something much seedier than it was. Then the actual audition was more of an interview, which makes sense since the web series was very collaborative/ improvised humor was encouraged. So for the interview/ audition I went to Geoff's ​​lodging, and Jarett was there (maybe others? It's been awhile, I don't exactly remember), and he was sitting behind a large desk, and I recall he had on sunglasses. But we all hit it off right away and had a good chat, and then the rest is history.
2) What was it like shooting Pure Pwnage? Was it a stick to the script type situation or was there a lot of ad libbing going on?
​It was definitely a scripted comedy, especially for characters like mine that had a lot of gaming dialogue when I knew nothing of WoW or gaming vernacular. However, because it was a comedy we did do some improvising to embellish a joke, or if we found a funny moment that made sense to the story. It was really fun to be collaborative in that way.
3) Tagi changed quite a bit from her initial appearance to her last scene in the web series, how much input did you have in her character?
​Not sure I understand the question. Do you mean appearance-wise from web series to film, or the character herself? In terms of appearance, I dyed my hair and Geoff and Jarett liked it and were cool with me keeping it that way for the movie. In terms of character, I agree that Tagi's character in the film is different from the web series. But I think it makes sense because the movie honors the passage of time that occurred from the web series and tv series so it makes sense to me that she's moved on, just like all the characters after several years.
4) Pure Pwnage was one of the, if not the biggest thing on the internet pre-YouTube. Did you have any notable interactions with the fans? Do you still get recognized as Tagi today?
​Shockingly, yes. And I say shockingly because I think it shocks me more than it shocks you when I get recognized. It always catches me off guard. But of course, it's always great that the show means and meant so much to so many. I've always had great interactions with the community, and I've travelled the world, and met up with fans or been recognized by fans, and it goes to show how small this world really is. In 2009 I had a great time in Italy and met up with Alessandro Schiassi who gave my husband (then boyfriend) and I a little tour ​of Milan, I went to Johannesburg and hung out with Dave Lee, and when we went to a casino there were PP fans there, and when I was in Scotland in 2012 on work, I was approached by a fan at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It happens on the streets of NYC, too, which always makes me laugh because I'm like, Gigi Hadid just walked by! You should be taking HER photo!
5) Piggybacking off of the last question, could you share your best and worst fan interactions?
​Best fan interaction was ​probably back in the height of the web series when we all went to the UK to premiere the newest episode (I think ep 9), and Jarett, Geoff, Stacey, and I all got to meet the European fans. Nothing specific, but I just remember there being so much love in the room, and it was the first time I realized how important the show was to so many. Before that our premieres had been localized so I thought that our fans were local to Canada. Worst fan interaction: there aren't many bad ones honestly so not much comes to mind. The only advice I can give is, just be yourself. I love meeting the fans and having a chat when the time and place makes sense.
6) The scene with Jeremy humping Tagi's head was pretty funny, how did that come about and what was your initial reaction to that scene?
​That was 100% scripted. My reaction is pretty much the reaction I give in the scene. I remember just being like "Okay... that's enough". I think that's part of what made that scene funny. Jeremy's reaction was so over-the-top and enthusiastic compared to Tagi's confusion/ annoyance/ sadness. ​
7) Was there anything you wished you could have done with the Tagi character? Anything you wish you could do with her in the future?
​I used to try and get Geoff and Jarett to write Tagi as the secret hero, haha. I wanted to return to the Big Bad narrative and for Jeremy and the clan to get stuck in some epic battle, and then if the Tagi break-up storyline has been implemented, which it had been in the web series, then out of the blue she could come and in a save him and they could have some huge battle/ victory. Or alternatively it would have been cool if Tagi could have gone to the dark side after Jeremy dumped her, and embrace some dark WoW villain alter ego. Then she would either be a permanent villain in the series or have the opportunity to be saved. But the show isn't about Tagi. The show has always been about Jeremy and his journey as a pro-gamer and that's the crux of the story and what the community relates to. I think the story has honored that narrative really well, and Tagi has served her role too. She she serves as a physcial manifestation of home and the things that are really important in Jeremy's life (his friends, his love for games, and his desire to help people pwn noobs better), so when they get back together I think it's symbolic of Jeremy coming home to his real self.
8) What was your husband's and family's reactions to Pure Pwnage? Does your husband realize how many guys grew up having a crush on Tagi?
​My husband has been around forever, and is used to it. I told a story a long time ago about when he was in university at Waterloo and he entered a computer lab and saw a bunch of guys watching PP on the screen, and he said "Yeah, that's my girlfriend" and the guys just laughed and were like, "Yeah right. That's my girlfriend too" because they didn't believe him. He didn't like that, haha. But he's cool with it. It doesn't affect my day-to-day like at all. ​
9) Looking back on Pure Pwnage, how do you feel about the web series?
​The web-series was a ton of fun, and my first time working with film. I had only done theatre up until that point, I was so young! I had just graduated from high school. It was great, and we got to run around Toronto and shoot wherever we wanted, and work with great comics, and it just felt like hanging out with friends and having a fun party. We had a ton of fun.​
10) Have you watched the Pure Pwnage TV Show? If so, how do you feel it compares to the web series?
​I was in the US by the time the tv show came out so it wasn't until it came to hulu that I could have watched it. I haven't seen too much of it, but of course I watched it to support Jarett and Geoff and the gang. I can't really speak to the comparison of the tv series and the web show because the writing teams were so different, and you can't really compare writers on different projects even if the content is similar. I think the tv series succeeded in being it's own show, and the web series succeeded in being it's own show completely separate of each other.
11) Speaking of the TV Show, was there any reason you weren't in it?
​I'm sure there is a reason, but I'm not sure of the reason exactly. I never auditioned for the tv series, so I don't think Tagi was ever considered for the story line. The reason for that is much bigger than any of us could control and comes down to the network and the executives.
12) How do you think October from the TV Show compares to Tagi?
T​hey are both women who play WoW, and they both have a flirtation with Jeremy which is the biggest comparison. Otherwise I think they are very different characters, but I don't know enough about her storyline on the tv show to be able to give a more thorough analysis. I thought Melanie did an excellent job as October in what I saw, and I know she had a lot of fun working on the tv show​. She was always really sweet every time we got together.
13) In the Pure Pwnage movie Tagi and Jeremy seemed to have reconciled, do you have any knowledge about what was supposed to have occurred between the web series an the movie?
​At the beginning of the movie I think they are just friends, which is pretty normal to me. I'm sure that Tagi and Jeremy, who have all the same friends, just figured out a way to move on and be friends. It's not until the end of the movie that we find out that maybe there was always something unresolved between them.
14) Tagi had very little screen time in the movie, was this a logistical decision or a story line one?
​Purely storyline. I think the focus of every Pure Pwnage narrative is about the hero's journey (Jeremy's journey) to overcome his demons such as his addiction to video gaming combined with his desire to "grow up and get a real job". So I don't think it was intentional, I think that the story is just staying true to the hero's journey. ​
15) Are you done with the Tagi character or would you be willing to come back for another movie or web series?
​If Geoff and Jarett want to continue making Pure Pwnage then I'm sure I'll be apart of it. ​
16) Is there anyway to get you to join Jarett and/or Geoff on another live stream? We could crowdfund you a plane ticket!
I​f Jarett and Geoff want to do a live stream I'm sure we can all figure it out. But you gotta get Dave and Joel in there too.​
17) Looking back at Tagi, how do you think she holds up?
​Not sure I understand the question. I have a clear idea about who she is, and it's up to me to get that across regardless of how prominent she is in the story. I think her character in the web series is so different from who she grew up to be in the movie, so not really sure how to tackle that question.
18) What are you up to these days? Anything you want to promote?
​I'm acting, and producing for film and tv in New York. You can easily see what I'm up to with a google search haha. I'm looking for $1 million financing for a feature in January written by my friend and collaborator, and about $10k for a short film I'll be acting in come September, so if you know of $1 million laying around that you can recommend to me, then let me know! hah! Also seeking distribution for a film I produced last summer "When We Grow Up" starring Cathy Curtin, which is currently in the film festival circuit. Other than that, I'm having a baby boy next month, and I'll be on NY Post social media content for Mother's Day talking about my pregnancy.

I just got back from a three week trip over to Europe. Two of which were spent studying European sport abroad with a group of kids from my university, ECU, and Miami of Ohio. The third week I took for myself and went to London and Paris by myself, since I was already there figured I might as well. I was staying in a hostel for Scotland/Ireland/Amsterdam and a Marriott in London/Paris. I also went 0 – 5 with countries I was in watching the Euro cup, apparently I’m the reason the US can’t win at soccer.
Highlights of my trip include:
Scotland:
• Edinburgh Castle
• Loch Ness
• Royal Mile
• Bag Pipes
• St. Andrews golf course.
Ireland:
• Guinness Factory
• Croke park tour
• Played hurling
• Saw a hurling game at Croke park
• Ireland v. Croatia at a local pub.
• Spent a day just walking around Dublin
• Bus Tour of city
Amsterdam:
• Coffee shops
• Netherlands v. Germany in a local pub.
• Netherlands v. Portugal at a tourist bar
• Guided canal tour of the city
• Anne Frank house
• Bike tour of the city
• Pancakes!
• Visited Hague university and met local students
• Partied with said students at a club in Amsterdam
• Saw the I Amsterdam sign
Paris:
• Watched France game under the Eiffel tower
• Climbed to the top of the Eiffel tower
• Bus tour of city
• The Louvre museum
• The thinker and Gates of hell
• Was staying beside the Arch
• Moulin Rogue
London:
• London v. Italy at a Casino in Piccadilly circus
• Bus tour of city
• London Dungeon tour
• Saw the Olympic Stadium
I was kind of exhausted by the time I got to London, didn’t do much other than walk around town. In every city I went out to a local pub or tourist places just about every night, and got completely addicted to Guinness. I am sure I forgot something so go ahead and ask if I saw something.