The Apprentice Project

The journey of a poor student to a rich professional, hopefully.

Archive for the ‘Drink’ Category

Newcastle: The Insider’s Guide

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I finished my final year project, a guide to Newcastle in the North East of England. It’s already getting a bit of attention, and even a Spanish site has blogged about it: here

If you do watch it, could you please fill out my really short questionnaire: here

Watch the video here

Written by James Hill

April 3, 2008 at 3:22 pm

This is crazy

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I haven’t blogged in over a year?! I literally can’t believe it. Time flies when you’re having fun, even faster when it’s fun+busy! I’ve finished my placement year and been back to uni, working constantly from then on my final year project and other module work. I’ve also got a job working as a multimedia monkey for the uni’s marketing team, which is a great step up from where I would be doing other part time work; a la Game. Everything is going so superb at the minute though, very very exciting. I proposed to my then girlfriend at New Year in Paris, right under the Eiffel Tower’s watchful eyes. Not only this but my now fiancee has got a job as a buyer’s assistant for Topshop in London which is just brilliant. There is a lot more scope for a job for me down there and I’m so excited to move, which is not long at all; a matter of months! I’ve sent off my CV plus a link to pwns.org and a number of companies have got back to me saying come down and have a chat when I get my results which is more than I ever hoped for. Even MPC replied which is beyond cool, I would be literally living a dream if I got a job anywhere as good as them. I’m quite confident my latest showreel which is in the process of being put together will turn a few heads so, I just need to get it out there when it’s done and see what happens. We’ve been looking at loads of houses in North London and it’s totally affordable if we get jobs, and with our savings so far. With Claire getting offers left, right and centre for freelance writing jobs for various magazines and websites I hope she can prop me up for a bit while I look for work. The student loan is coming to an abrupt end soon, i’ll literally be fending for myself.All in all, life is very exciting at the moment, loads of risks but where is the point in living if you don’t take a chance once in a while? Mine and Claire’s life philosophy is a simple one. Work hard, party hard, make sure that when you come to the end of your life and you look back, you can’t find anything where you think ‘I wish I’d done that’. The bank statements don’t seem to like this idea but; you could get ran over by a bus tomorrow couldn’t you?  

Written by James Hill

March 11, 2008 at 9:59 pm

Christ on a bike.

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It’s been a long time since my last post on here, so much has happened, let me take you through. Me and Claire have moved house from Heaton to the beautiful Newcastle Quayside; we’re now living in the very new Lime Square apartments. Christmas was lovely, first year we have both been away from home on Christmas day; Claire’s Christmas dinner was gorgeous. We went to London for my twenty first birthday, which involved lots of eating and partying. We’ve generally just been doing everything together and it has been so good I can’t explain. Bonfire night, our own little fireworks display, Halloween we had our own pumpkin and everything. We had a mint time with James and Claire on New Year, never realising how mental it was they had the same names as us until we were signing their Christmas card ‘from James and Claire to James and Claire’. I’m loving Newcastle a lot; really proud to say I’m from here. Nearly booked our next big journey, New York City at The Paramount Hotel right next to Times Square. Excited beyond. Endless more personal stuff has happened but this post would be way too huge.

Now, a report on how my career is going; so far it has surpassed all my expectations. I’m nearly half way through my placement year, in which I’ve learned and done so much, met so many different people and worked in so many situations; stressful and the opposite. The portfolio is bulging and I’m so glad I chose not to go straight into my final year. The experience really has been worth it, and the money is a very useful bonus. The summary so far is that I’ve worked with the BBC on film projects, worked with the North Tyneside Council on numerous projects, used tens of thousands of pounds worth of kit, taught many classes, worked with children of all ages and of special needs, been on a business trip to London all expenses paid and so much more all of which will be described in detail in my new portfolio and CV. It really has made me  a lot more confident, professional and just ‘able’ in general. The thing that really opened my eyes was that when I was working with the BBC in their Look North studio, there were seven people doing all the jobs I do on my own in a day. I really can’t wait to get out into the world of work and see how far I can push myself. I’ve enjoyed the work I’ve been doing so much I’ve already changed my desired career path from design to film and media. London, here we come.

I’m really proud of Claire too, she has had a placement at the Sunday Sun, fashion reporting and styling. To date she’s had eleven spreads published, styled over fifteen models (male and female) and worked with the accomplished photographer Sally Adams. She has just been offered a placement with Dazed and Confused and also the Warehouse press team, both in London.

I’m getting up at six thirty every morning and getting home from work at six in the evening, so the portfolio site is coming along a bit slower than I would have liked, all the same it should be up soon.

On the entertainment side, watch Children of Men now. Listen to Klaxons, New Young Pony Club, CSS, The Rapture, Crystal Castles now. Marco Polo on Grey Street in Newcastle is the best Italian here we think, NumJai (or similar) near the Carling Academy is the best Thai here we think, Wagamamas was disappointing for a first try. Morrison’s is a horrible supermarket but we have to shop there because there is nowhere else about. ASDA, could you please open right next to our house please. Jukebox on Fridays at the Other rooms is the best night out. Book a holiday now, everyone has to have something to look forward too!

Oh, and we are now completely rid of PCs, the brand new Macbook Pro 15″ is so good it makes me cry a little. Everyone at work is slowly starting to agree with me, and I quote “Apple are really cool actually aren’t they” says Shaun, the mac hater, whilst playing with iTunes’ coverflow.

Taroo,

Jim.

Written by James Hill

January 27, 2007 at 1:05 am

Very Bad News

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Got a final reply from my desired placement company:

Unfortunately we’re still no nearer to knowing whether or not a placement would be available; and I’d say it is unlikely at this stage.

My advice would be to pursue other opportunities available to you – that way if nothing materialises here, you won’t have placed your hopes on it.

Good luck, and if anything does come up here, we have your details and will be in touch.

Oh well, looks like I’m going to have to settle for something along the IT route. I suppose I can work on my portfolio and get some money together whilst ‘assisting with office moves’. My covering letter and CV are in the post headed for a place down on the Quayside. Hopefully I will get an interview; anything is better than nothing.

Just sold my drum pedals on ebay to pay for my new powerbook, still loving it. Gone home to Mum and Dad’s for the weekend, firstly for Mother’s Day, secondly for a night out at The Empire, and it’s just so great having it with me. I just flipped it open, cracked open iPhoto and amazed the parents with the photos from Lanzarote. “Oooh, they’re moving? It feels like you’re really there” said Mum about the Ken Burns effect.

Anyway, the pedals sold for £105, so that is £495 minus £105 which leaves me with £390 still to make up. Selling my PSP when we get back to Newcastle, and ringing tomorrow to get the £160 worth of tax owed to me by Game. I really do feel sorry for accountants, finances are rubbish.
I’ll blog with what happens about this placement, taroo.

Written by James Hill

March 24, 2006 at 11:25 pm

Ten x Four Things About Me.

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Four jobs I’ve had:

Four movies I can watch over and over:

Four places I’ve liked:

  • London
  • Guisborough
  • York
  • Newcastle

Four Five TV shows I love:

  • 24
  • Lost
  • Family Guy
  • Friends
  • Band of Brothers

Four places I’ve vacationed:

  • Porta Rico
  • New York
  • The Lake District
  • Center Parcs (All of them)

Five of my favorite dishes:

  • Thai Green Curry with Sticky Jasmine Rice
  • Haagan Dahz Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
  • Bolognese
  • Chilli Con Carne
  • Sunday Dinner

Four sites I visit daily:

Four of my most Favourite Novels:

My four favourite albums at the moment:

My four favourite drinks:

  • Chocolate Milkshake
  • Coffee (in any way shape or form)
  • San Miguel
  • Tropicana (any flavour)

These things are always interesting to read, might as well jump on the bandwagon. None of these are in any particular order by the way.
 

 

Written by James Hill

February 3, 2006 at 4:22 pm