CasaGamble.net

Carl's MSc

Graduation

Pre Graduation Nosh

The department put on some food and (more importantly) drink for us all before the ceremony so we could all meet and they could give out the prizes

Liaquat and Prof. Isi Mitrani, The man who somehow managed to keep calm while trying to teach us Java programming
Liaquat and Dr. Cristina Gacek
Liaqaut with Cristina and Dr. John Fitzgerald.
Liaquat with.... Oy.... that's my missus!!!
That's better, Liquat, Me and then the missus.
April (Phil's better half), Phil Liu and Wendy "isn't pink a lovely colour" Smeaton
Liaquat ... again ... but then it was his camera, with Dr Neil Speirs.
Big Nev Dubash with his Mum, Dad and Dr. Marta Pietkiewicz-Koutny in the middle
Liaquat, with Rachel(Yarin Jiang) on the right and that girl most of us thought was a bit of al'right but never got her name on the left.
Liaqaut and the somehow legendary Lilly Liu.
Stephanus, his girly, April, "The Herminator", Nev and Liaquat

Prize Givings

Time for the prizes, on our course Stephanus Hartanto got the Arjuna prize for best over all performance, beating me by 0.4% .... ggrrrrr!!! But then our group kicked arse in the group project so we got the prize for that, so its not all bad.... but 0.4%... no... i'm not bitter....or twisted.... no.. not in the least! :(

Me recieving the prize for the best group project as no one else from the group was there.. which is somehow fitting! ;)
Me, two guys from the SDIA MSc and Stephanus who beat me overall by about 0.4%... did i mention it was just 0.4%....PAH!
Me, chatting up... errr.. chatting to the nice girly from Accenture who fund the prize for the best project.
Still chatting, what can I say, she was pleasant to chat to :D

More Nosh and Wine

With the prizes given out there was still time for some more drinks before the ceremony

Nev challanged Dr. Speirs to a "Staring out competition", they're both taking it very seriously.
Where would we be without out support staff, Alex Barfield, Catherine McGurk and Shirly Craig
A large portion of the MSc gang, i'm still chatting up the nice but now somewhat bored lass from Accenture!
This is annoying, I can't remember the guy on the lefts name.
I think Rachel is looking at Phil's Willy... which could explain the odd expression on her face!
Nev Challenged Wendy to a staring out contest... and loses misserably.
Me, grinning like a silly thing, with the nice girl from Accenture and Dr. Speirs.
Liaquat and Chen
Liaquat and Dave

The Graduation Ceremony

After the drinks we headed over to the Armstrong Building to get our gowns, before we're lined up in name order and led into the Kings Hall. While we're waiting for the ceremony to start they play some decidely strange music on the organ during which the ever watchful Debbie is keeping us all in line.

Phil and April
The Family Liu
Debbie practices her "i'm not amused" stare in preparation for the next granduands coming into the hall
Nev looking jolly
Me, rehersing for the role of Wallace in "wallace and grommet" the musical
A marginaly less cheesey grin from yours truly this time
Rachel and Chen look happy, so why is Liaquat looking so serious?
Wendy meditates and Herman gets camp at the front!
Debbie keeps a watchful eye over some of the guests... and is clearly not impressed
I'm grinning.. again.. and Wendy is still meditating
Nev looking marginaly annoyed at having to turn round
Liaquat still looks serious, Nev still looks annoyed and Wendy looks a little bit sheepish
Some poor sole was on the recieving end of that stare.... scarey
My sponsors
Nev receives a punch in the guts instead of a degree....
... but still manages a smile
My turn now, so its gown on.....
... a cheery handshake ....
... a big grin on the way down and.. errrr... is that it???? that was quick!
Phil looks extra serious in there ....
... slightly less serious now ...
... and a nice grin for the camera..... oy ..phil.. over here!
Liaquats up next...
... ooohhh, a big two handed shake ....
.... then he looks very contented walking past.
Now its Smeats turn.....
.... standard handshake ....
.... and she still manages a smile while being strangled by the hood
Dave's up next ....
.... and bugger, we missed the handshake... oh well.

Photos Outside

After the ceremony is finaly over we go outside, get photos done, get some more photos of the official type done by Venture in the language dept and finaly get some more pics done outside.

Dave is the only one that's figured out the button loop on the gown, so Liaquat and I a still semi-strangled
Me with my Parents and Grandparents.. although my dad appears to be hiding
The family again, this time we did not give dad time to hide
Me, Liaquat and Emma (the wife/missus/boss) and part of my famouse fish impression
Steve takes a break from taking the pics only for Liaquat to grab him for a pic together
Nicholas, Steve and Liaquat, that's two pics in a row with Steve in... must be a record.
Me and the my MSc sponsor, i'm happy to have the pic but i refused to have "Queen Emma" logos on all my clothes
Me and Liaquat
Debbie heads off to the Union for the post ceremony drinks... it looks like she needs one or ten
The gang outside one of the prettier buildings
The Herminator and his mum... the Herminatress???
Us lot walking to the Union... we've heard there are free drinks and want to investigate
Pah... we get stopped for another group photo by the arches .. don't they know there's drinks to be had.
What a handsome fellow

Yet more Wine and Nosh in the Union

Theres more drinks to be had now the pics have been taken, this time in the basement bar of the student union.

Great, we've got our drinks but get caught by another photo opportunity
Dr Fitzgerald just had to outdo everybody else with his uber snazzy gown.
Dr F. has a pic taken with our group... you can almost see the relief on his face that he's finaly getting rid of us!
Another Me and the Sponsor type shot
I'm not sure who looks more pissed, Nev or Wendy... and they've only had two glasses .. the softies!!...
... but they manage to hold it together long enough for one nice pic.

Walking Back After The Meal

Finally, Me, Em, Phil, April, Herman and his Mum all went out for a meal to celebrate. Herman and his Mum only had half the meal though as he had an interview in the morning and so had to catch the 21:00 train back to London, however not long after they had gone it turned out that the 21:00 was actualy the 20:30 train to London so they had missed it..... ooops. We told them to call National Express and apparently they were able to get a coach home with them... which was lucky.

Emma replaces the baby jesus in the nativity scene and the models seem to be singing to her
Phil and April in blury vision but looking happy all the same