Unnamed.

See what I did with my header there?
;)

Court

More on being Forensics student. We were taken to court to preferably see expert witnesses in action, but just seeing how things go if not.
So on Thursday, a rainy morning too it was, we dressed up (advised to dress appropriately haha) and walked to the high court which is, as most things are here, nearby.
Ditched ballet flats for boots under the good trousers and they did the trick of keeping feet warm and dry. Some people, including Miss lecturer were not as lucky and had squishy feet, cold feet, wet feet, wet clothes, you name it. Yes, the beauty of the weather. Anyway we got there and were supposed to hear a I suppose you could say expert witness speak but they decided it wasnt necessary.
So we heard the accused questioned and etc, and overall it was very interesting. We were lucky too to have a super friendly and gracious clerk who explained things and answered questions, and yet said he was the lucky one! Yes there were wee exclamations on his cute and adorableness, as you would for a grandpa type figure. :)
So we saw the suspect and a police officer speak, saw how the AD and Counselor speak, and saw how the judge speaks. Whoa.
Court is interesting and quite fun, if you are sitting in the audience.
Yep, that's how we are going to be (grilled, as Kesh the lawyer says) next year.

West End

Last weekend we went to the West End.
The plan was to go to the botanics and then explore. Took the bus and got there, and as we entered, saw a book fair was going on. Oops. Haha. Anyway, we went to see the plants and everything, and then went to the book fair, in what had to be an old green house attachment building. Nice and warm though, because it was pretty cold out (yes, I was actually feeling cold, maybe the open space) and we looked at boooks. Yeah, joy. Bought two, and then we were off again.
Had tea and cakes at the tearoom (oh wait we had coffee actually) and after looking about some more we left the gardens to walk the streets.
Now, the west end is famed for the charity shops, quirky boutiques and little treasures. We didnt even see everything,  but LOVED what we did see. Vintage dresses, quaint bookstores and well, lovely lovely things. Looked about, bought another book, and found the GURDWARA! So exciting.
Metha take-ed and then continued walking.
It started raining as we took the bus home and ensconced in the bus we watched multitudes of umbrellas, owners head down, necks snuggled into scarves, boots trudging along.
Obviously got home and looked at the finds, just reveling  at another beautiful day. Yes I know I owe you all loads of pictures am getting around to it.
Meanwhile, watch the Decoy Bride, I rather enjoyed it :)

Santa Claus is coming to town

Oh yes, its Christmas coming already! Lights are up, the ice rink is almost ready and the last I checked even the fairground rides were being  put in!
So when its dark Glasgow looks ssoooo pretty and Christmassy.
Anyway Santa and gang should be out and about soon too (or has he come out?) and then its time to be jolly and merry haha.
I have already started thinking of presents to give, plus i have some to send home for the graduated people. (Waiting for their addresses!)
SO even though its gonna be stressful, the season should make us feel better ;)

Crime Scene Investigation - CSI Cheras

Yes! It is actually finally here.
Exciting and yet, a little nervewrecking (ok, a lot nervewrecking)
So far, my course has been, well awesome for the lack of a better word. Its been laid out well, thanks to experience and all the stuff thats to be learnt (or drilled into us) is directly or indirectly just helping build information in our brains.
So it has been 2 months!! Since I left home and boy, they have FLOWN past. Lectures and decoupled labs over, we are headed for the grand finale (yes, even before finals in Jan) that we have been preparing for. Something that will test endurance and application and tolerance and God knows what else.
Its Crime Scene Exercise.
Yes. You read right. This is what we are going to be doing for 2 weeks, and the lecturers have been (scaring) telling us that its gonna be the most stressful, yet memorable 2 weeks of our lives. But then again, they've never done STPM. Haha.
Anyway, let me walk you through this exercice.
Tomorrow we'll be taken to Stepps (and although Rangers train there we've been told to be focused hahah) and there, we'll meet our crime scenes. Now our exercises are always made to be as real as possible, so we are going to be seeing a real-as-possible scene. Its in a field, and the conditions tomorrow are 5 degrees, plus winds should be 0 degrees. Add rain at noon, and there you have endurance. Oh well. Couple of years ago they tracked through a METRE of snow.
I am Crime Scene Manager for my team so there you go. There are also lab managers, exhibits managers and we all report to the SIO.
Then of course you have the scene itself. Walking through for common access path, putting up the cordons, searching, packaging, labelling, and finally actually stopping and coming back to the lab. There it'll be logging in the items, and after that the examinations. Thats what the 2 weeks are for. And then you get the "suspect" stuff to compare with and all kinds of hypotheses, blah blah blah.
At the end of these 2 weeks (thank you, God) we submit all case files, court reports etc to be given to the lawyers. (The postgrad law students, to be exact, the baby lawyers) They then review everything and get ready to discuss stuff with us to prepare their case etc.
Then in March, we all go to court (actual court with an actual Sheriff) to be expert witness and learn how to sweat in the witness stand.
Besides that we'll get to role play and be the macer, clerk, accussed (hahahha) etc.
And after which it will be the closure of the case.

Yes, I know it sounds fantabulouslyamazinglyawesome.
So, wellies on, socks on, thiiick jacket and scarf on, insulated hat on, huge crime scene suit on. D-Day tomorrow.

Happy Diwali Folks :)

One of, if not my fave ads. Ah the joy of being Malaysian :)
Now that I am posting why not just continue a wee bit. Tomorrow is Diwali day here in Glasgow. Has it been a year already that we were having delicious thosai (dosa) and yummaliciousness at aunty Rani's and eating durians with Joey! Yeah, it has.
So back home friends are getting kolam (rangoli)s done, shopping, eating murukus and angpowing away. School holidays have begun too so gurdwara must be fun. I am kind of missing all my bachey!
Today Shal and I went to the Indian-er area (Thank God i had seen it before) and we got gulab jamun, kaju barfi and laddoo! Haha. As Shal is away from home hoping that we all can have fun celebrating with her! Tomorrow we are all going to a friends and will eat and chill.
Anyway its pretty fast that Diwali's going to be over and then it'll be Christmas! On the list is a lunch with the department peeps, getting a Santa jumper (yes, I am going to be cheesy and mushy muaahahha) and seeing Xmas in London!
Excited about it already, but before Xmas comes our crime scene exercise. Oh yeah its the good stuff, but I'll save that for another post. Also, some of the stuff I havent written about, Edinburgh, Nottingham games etc. Remind me! Haha. Till soon, love.

Glasgow diaries: Of museums and such.

Last week, we went on a city hall organised tour. Went to two museums, Riverside and Kelvingrove. Kelvingrove was, its impressive self, and we even got to see an organist perform. 

This trip consisted of Shalaka from India, Eline from Netherlands and me. We had good fun, and took loads of pictures. (They will be posted soon)

Then we went to watch 2 movies, so far. One was Ruby Sparks, which was, um. Interesting. It was strange, but not bad really. This we had planned after going to a ceilidh on Friday. Ceilidhs are Scottish dance events where you dance and have a really good time, and we ( Holly and I) had attended one together earlier. It was good fun. So back to this ceilidh, it was alright and we did 2 or 3 dances. Then we decided to catch a movie, and only Ruby Sparks seemed good so that it was.

Then The Perks of being a wallflower was also playing and we had all wanted to watch it, so we decided to watch it one Monday (no labs, so no reports and a little more chilled). This was great fun, we got the FRONT row to sit together. Good movie, although I have not read the book. 

Also, attended the Malaysian society intro session (and the movies ceilidh) where I met some nice people from back home! Lovely. (Went to gurdwara with one of them) For the Nottingham games I may be playing netball with these girls (gasp!) Haha. 

I think thats it besides the sporadical shopping sprees (most of the stuff is actually necessities) and other trips around town to do or see things. 

Yesterday, Eline had a Halloween do so there we were. I was excited, as even though back home we used to do a little bit, we never really did costumes much. So I was Helena Bonham Carter. Woohoo. Fun stuff. Pictures coming soon. Shalaka was Harry Potter (irony of it is she's never read or watched the series) and Holly was supposed to be a burglar (I know, cool) but she couldnt make it. The party was cool, her flat is huge so it was great. Met lots of new people (from my flat too, so it was just like a housewarming haha) and the best part it was just upstairs from us. 

Alright, that should be it for now. Post pictures soon, and new post for new adventures. 

Love always. 

Glasgow diaries

Went to gurdwara today. It is Sunday, the perfect day to walk the half hour or so journey. So, lets start from start. 

Had gone for a friend's Halloween do last night, and by the time I got home and got some sleep (too much sugar from all the soda) it was LAATE.

So in the morning its a mad dash as I think I am late. Reach in record speed at the place I had arranged with a friend, and when she arrives she tells me I haven't changed my time, we are actually an hour early. HAHAHA I forgot to set my phone on auto change, so it was perfect really. 9 am sharp we walk for gurdwara. It is a rainy, dreary day, and we talk little, just hunched down from the cold and steady drizzle. 

Reach and it is quiet, I am happy. Quiet time means quality time. See some people are sitting in langgar, head straight up to darbar. 

Akhand path is going on, I sit and listen. And enjoy these moments, the few more minutes till it is time for the semapti of the path. The giani jis sing a shabad, he has a deep solid voice, the tune buoys me into calm and peace. Then as we are served hot delicious parshad I realise there are some girls climbing on stage. The secretary announces that Asa ki Vaar is now to begin. Ah, the joy! 

I grin and thank Guru ji, after all ohna ne meri sun leyi! 

She is good, the singer. Lots of gusto. I am just having a GREAT time, while noticing that people are coming in by the dozens. We decide to have some worldly nourishments (langgar), albeit reluctant to leave, I go. Soon after, we see the jatha is also in langgar, so it must be 4 chants that they did. 

Anyway after eating we sit for abit more, listening to the end of one jatha and the start of the melodious giani ji again. 

I decide that it is time to head back, with the rain and walk back it will take me some time to rest and prepare for homework and preparations. 

I arrive home boosted and buoyed. 

Thank you, Guruji. 

Keeping it going

Today was the official first day of lectures! Although we had the introduction lecture last week, this week is when things are getting going.

The two lectures today were on Policing and its roles and in the afternoon, we had a statistics lecture. (It was great that they provided printouts!)

While I was sitting in the statistics lecture, I could not help but think of my undergraduate days. The statistics topics were exactly what I had done in Maths (Statistics), dealing with the t- test, f- test, and the likes. Just thinking of maths and Ms Chong. See, she's the Math lecturer that (thankfully) my class had for both our math papers. She is more teacher, and was extremely dedicated to ensure that we knew what was going on and she persevered so we knew the material in and out. 

Always armed with paper and a pen, she utilised the overhead all the time and showed us how the calculations were done, armed us with a good amount of tutorials, and most importantly, prepared a manual of such delight that I got an A for that paper. Also, it might have been attributed to me not being excellent in statistics (not liking it that much more like) that I probably use to do the tutorials and be freaked out about math papers. (I know)

SO, as I was sitting in class today, looking at the slides, I could not help but smile at how lucky my class was to get Miss Chong, and how lucky we were that she was such a dedicated person. (It helped no end that she  was a very nice person) Looking at the material, I told myself, I can do this. It'll take some revisiting, and revision, and exercise, but I have got it in me now to tackle this. 

How did we get here. Ah yes, statistics. So, scientists need to use statistical measures to analyse things like the precision, reproducibilty and a whole lot of things about the instrument and human error. 

Tomorrow I have two labs, one on document analysis and the other on fibres. Yipee! 

I had gone to the store that sold Indian foodstuff yesterday, and came home with a packet of rice (YAAAY) and some precooked food. Aloo mattar (Peas and potatoes) and dhall. Also got some food from Tesco. So dinner today consisted of bread, aloo matar and some eggs. Yum. I feel warm inside now. 

There's a department lunch for international students tomorrow as well, so if I'm done at the lab I will make a mad dash for it. 

Besides that I feel a cough coming on (its already in the initial stages) so I am gonna take some cough syrup and bundle up and hope it goes away. Maybe I should get my hair washed and dried at the shop (which, coincidentally is also right outside my flat). 

Ok I think that's all for now, as always, love. 

Glasgow

Glasgow. How it is, to me? 

It is, I must say, a perfect blend of old and new. There are old, sturdy buildings that just make you feel secure and warm, and then there are the glass and modern ones. I love the steep hills! 

The campus is very much a city campus. 2 minutes from my house (off campus it seems) to school, and about 8-10 mins to city centre. The library is on the hill (obviously) and its pretty cool. (Starbucks included)

People are friendly and (mostly), informative. Ask any kind person where something else and they will tell you the best way to get there and do it nicely. :) 

Oh, I must mention that my uni handbook listed  the gurdwarey in the chaplaincy section. Thank you, God! (pun intended) 

What else. It isnt as cold yet, but the nights are chilly (hibernating in room advised). The other day when it rained on my way home I took off my jeans and my thighs were cold, so I guess that means it is pretty cold. Haha. So far, I wear one tshirt and a sweatshirt/hoodie with a scarf for my neck and jeans with trainers. Does the job. Oh I bought a parka but havent used it yet. (I know, and its in my bag too)

The rain comes whenever it likes, and its fine by me (as long as it doesnt POUR like it would during the monsoons back home).

Loads of international students around( my course has a large number this year they say) and its nice meeting new people from around the world. My flatmates are from Ghana, Bulgaria and China. I have a coursemate from Mumbai, India and I think riding the trains I shall do with her when we go to India! :D

Okay ,lets get to it, here's my room. Enjoy! 

Masters

So.. I am finally here!! In Glasgow! :D
Its been about five days since I have been in this city. Tuesday onwards, it was orientation types of things at school. Plagiarism (much stressed), timetable, meeting staff, and yesterday met the centre director who gave the FIRST LECTURE!! Intro to Forensic Science. Very cool lecture. I shall now go find the book Bad Science and give it a read. It is feeling very real now. I am in my masters program huh! Hahahah. Since I am away (and here I try to make another fake promise that) I'll write more. Now I actually have to, because people actually want to know what I m doing (instead of mauj masti) and all the gory details I shall dish.

So this is the first weekend that I am here, in my room. I should be meeting some home walley people soon, Kesh and parents. Then its on to laundry. (I actually still have kacherey - bet you were thinking that!) Also, labs will have to be read (nerdy but true).

Besides that, I ll probably go get some food stuff for cooking. (My friend tells me theres a store nearby with Haldiram stuff) Not forgetting, Gurdwara is the plan for tomorrow. I found one, so tomorrow shall take a trek to the other one.

Right after this I'll go take some pictures of my room so you all can see what it looks like. (Finally unpacked)  Its very cozy and cukup cukup lah for me and my stuff. With a sleeping bag, an overnighter can be accomodated. :D

Will tell you all about the place in a new post.

Lots of love,
Ash.

Writing

So.. Last post January 15? hahahaha.. I have been away, oh keyboard.
As I am now in cough,flu and fatigue mode, perfect time to write!

Tribute To Mardana - Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

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