10/29/2005: "Scottish Thistle Awards"

Had a great night last night at the Scottish Thistle Award Ceremony, courtesy of our good friends G&F. They were nominated for the Tourism & Environment category. Although not winners on the night, it's only taken them three years to get this far and the future is looking good, so big thanks and well done to them.

It was a bigger 'do' than I had anticipated, it was black tie but.....so many black dresses!!!! (yes, I had one too) and lots of nice kilts. I hadn't been in the EICC before so it was nice to get a chance to see the inside of a building I pass by so often. I was particulary interested in looking for some sculpture one of my tutors had done and which had it's opening the night before. However, with over 800 people milling around, it was hard enough to see anything of the building apart from the immediate space around you, so I didn't manage to find the sculpture.

The award ceremony was slick and well done. The awards were presented by GMTV's Jenni Falconer with the added bonus of assistance from the guy from the scottish beef advert (I've just tried very hard to find a pic of him but couldn't blush .)

The entertainment was.....well entertaining (but not at all what I expected - singing & some latin dancing on tables!) The food was excellent and of course the wine flowed and flowed and then flowed some more. There was a dance floor upstairs and I managed thirty seconds before they swapped Franz Ferdinand to a Dashing White Sergent (I wasn't brave enough to push myself onto another group so went back to join the others). Then there was more wine and then some more and eventually all the music stopped, all the people went away, staff started to clear up and it was (very politely) pointed out to our table that it was, in fact, time to go home. Oops, last again!

Unfortunatly, today I'm paying for it all. From schmoozing to mooching in one easy lesson. I could say it was all in my game plan - you know the one to rid the world of all wine because as everyone knows, wine is evil and champagne more so and well, someone has to do it. So, I took on the task (again!). I tried really hard. I even encouraged everyone else at our table to try too. They made a valiant effort, everyone of them, but sadly, we failed! crazy

The night did have a positive effect on me. I was reminded that four years ago G&F hadn't even started their business and that they could never have foreseen their success. So, when the decisions have to be made, I have to remind myself of that and stay focussed. All things are possible if you work at it. G&F have worked really, really hard and we all know they deserved to win. In our eyes they are already winners.