You can check out any time you like/But you can never leave

Week Four living out of a hotel is set to begin in a few hours time, and weekends with the creature comforts of home have never been so precious. That being said, it has been quite an experience working and living with the various consultants who have been brought in from all over the UK for this project. These folk have been working and living hard for many years, and have many incredible stories to tell - all of which go down well with a few pints.

Saw The Thrills play a sold-out show on Friday night at the Carling Academy. I've previously sung their praises, and this show has only (if possible) increased my adoration for this band. They have become a tremendous force live, and the entire 2000+ crowd was singing and dancing along all night to their songs. There really is something about the noise and passion of the Glaswegian music crowd that really adds to the live experience. The bands themselves tend to look like they are having a hell of a good time on stage when they take a Glaswegian stage, and the set is that much better for it.

We went to what was billed as "Britain's Largest" Heilan Coo exhibition this past Saturday at the always lovely Pollok Park. There was a great crowd on hand to witness the proceedings, and I'll freely admit I loved every minute of it. The sheer quantity of the coos, in a myriad of colours with a clamour of mooing, made for a brilliant spectacle. Moreover, Heilan Coos don't get crappy names like Daisy or Bill. The cows winning the awards had names such as Malcolm I of Glengarnock and Eva the Twentieth of Milngavie. I confess I don't remember the proper name of the cow who won "Best Bull", but after taking one look at him he was quickly dubbed Big Bollocks III of Buckfast.

We also went to see the film that has been hyped in the media since it debuted here back during the Edinburgh Film Festival as "the greatest Scottish film since Trainspotting" - Young Adam. Like Trainspotting, it stars the always excellent Ewan McGregor (save for the dire new Star Wars sequels). It is based in Glasgow during the 1950's and was filmed throughout the city so several landmarks were instantly recognisable. The cinematography is excellent as it really captures the grit and roughness of 1950's Glasgow, and perfectly captures the dark tone of the movie. The film is also wonderfully acted and perfectly encapsulates the disturbed life of the protagonist. That all being said, after leaving the cinema I felt similar to how I feel after seeing a classic painting. I appreciate the technical merits involved, and am impressed by the inherit beauty - but at the end of the day do not feel emotionally connected to it. Perhaps it was the atmosphere created by a rainy Sunday afternoon, or the fact that the film had been so hyped that my expectations had already been set. However, I didn't leave with that "wow" feeling I get after seeing other films. Take that for what it is worth.

A little piece of Scottish culture may have died this week. For many years, the Scottish neon orange fizzy drink known as Irn-Bru has been the top selling soft drink in the country. This is unique because Scotland was one of the few countries where the top selling soft drink is something other than the battery acid marketed as Coca-Cola. This has all unfortunately come to an end as the latest sales figures show Coke outsold Irn-Bru in 2002. I don't typically go for soft drinks, but I may just start picking up an Irn-Bru for lunch from time to time just to correct this injustice for 2003.