Kabir

Kabir

Sunday, November 25, 2012

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.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

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.