A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 13:01 @Ginjarium Moving to Cambridge would mean it would be quite easy to visit you guys. Just get that thesis done! #
• 11:26 @Ginjarium It should do. I run that on my new laptop and I have vista..... hmmmm.... have you updated the anti virus? #

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The first memoire of the notorious Dr Handley....

So yes if you haven't paid attention to my LJ/Facebook/Twitter then I passed the viva yesterday.

Was it an easy day..... hmmmm. Sort of. I left Leamington Spa at 0945 and made two changes in order to make it to Manchester in time for my viva voce at 1330. I could have got to Manchester earlier but that would have meant leaving at peak time and so my train ticket would have cost double. Yeah £80 return!

Getting to Manchester I made my way to MIB. It was quite different heading into that building. Because I was all dressed up in a suit I just looked like all the other visitors that I have seen come to meet people in the building. Matt from the Popelier group came down to let me in to the building and then I was back in my old office finding out what had been going on since I was gone and what things that they could help me out with for one of my more recent papers.

Then it was time for the viva and I headed down to the office next to Paul Popeliers where the viva was to be held. It was good to see Alan Hinchliffe again. Alan was another of the ex UMIST chemistry lecturers. I took every lecture he gave in all 4 years of my degree and he was my personal advisor in the first year of my PhD until he was selected to be my internal examiner for my PhD. Thank god I get on well with him as it was good to know there was a friendly face in my exam. In comparison Nakul, another ex Popelier group PhD student had another lecturer, Rob Dryfe, be his internal examiner. Rob is a good laugh but in exams he is said to be tricky than the external examiners. Thus the nickname the 'Smiling Assassin'.

My external examiner was Prof Jonathan Hirst who seemed fairly nice. Rob Deeth,  my new supervisor in Wariwck did warn me that Hirst was quite clever. It turned out that Hirst's home town is Leamington Spa so it was nice to chat about the uni and the town.

The first part of the viva was not fun as I got asked to give formulas that I had written down in my thesis. I find those types of questions really shit as I don't learn formula off by heart but I do know how to dervive them and I at least understand them. But other questions were good as I got to talk about the more unique parts of my work and it's relevance. The latter half of the viva was easier as it focused on my work and considering a lot of it is published or in the process of making it to the journals it was rather easy to defend.

So after almost 2 and a half hours I was told to go wait outside, so I went and sat in Paul's office and had a brief chat. Then five minutes later I was called back in and Hirst told me I had passed and shook my hand. Alan was very kind as he had also brought, pre-wrapped, a copy of one of his text books.

And that was it. I was from then on Dr Handley. I waited about a bit as Paul, Alan and Hirst went off for a coffee, and when Paul came back we quickly talked about papers and he said that he was proud that I had passed.

So all in all not a bad day. Just very, very tiring. My brain felt very empty and squeezed.

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 16:57 Is now a Dr of Computational Chemistry!!! #

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I passed!!!

I am now a Doctor of Computational Chemistry. I have some minor corrections to be done and then 4 copies of the thesis to print and get bound (ouchy) but that is it. I am 'teh Doctor' (but not that eyebrow waggler!!).


I now feel very tired like my head is very squished!!!

Viva

Yep.... it has finally come. Tomorrow I will be travelling back up to Manchester for my viva. Tomorrow I will officially be a Doctor of Chemistry. It feels really strange as it really marks the end of my PhD and my time Manchester, something that was reinforced by our trip up to Leeds on Saturday to go to Wendy House where I saw a number of my friends from Manchester, some who hadn't seen me since the before the wedding.

So yeah it will be a long day. Not just because of the travelling, not jsut because the viva itself may take some time, but also because I will have some things to sort out for papers (on a related note paper 4 has now been submitted, just another 6 to go) and so forth.


Well see you on the flip side.


Photos of Wendy House and of course Sam's new hair

http://glittersavvy.livejournal.com/576551.html

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 14:12 Mr and mrs handley are on the mega bus to leeds. #
• 16:32 Is now in manchester on his way to leeds for wendy house. Hoorah! #
• 18:29 In leeds having a tea and coffee and food. Anyone else in leeds yet? #

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Bit of an update

SO how have things been since we got back from Venice.

Well of course we had a few days back in Manchester and on the Saturday 7th we had our hand fasting. Sam and I had worked out what was most suitable, making the entire event far more intimate and personal. At around 4 our friend began to arrive. It was a good turn out, more than I expected to see considering that some people had messaged to say that they had other things on/last minute changes/seriously low funds. I was really happy to see Dan and Stacey as they had made it all the way up from London to us. Plus they had brought us presents. The most epic of toasters, coffee, cookies and honey. I was pretty much knocked back by this generosity since we had seen each other in months. Well of course that will change now we are 'down south'.

Drinks were poured and we all sat about looking at the photos we had a the time and watching the wedding video (I now can this onto the computer but need to edit it). And then we moved outside for the main event. The blessing. Sam and I exchanged our vows in a ceremony that suited our own personal beliefs, which is why it was more of an exchange of vows before the stars and universe. We then exchanged roses representing ourselves and kissed. Alan caught a really great photo of the moment.

Afterwards we all bundled into taxis and headed to the northern quarter to get food, which was an entire pain in the arse, before we all gathered back together in Socio Rehab for drinks. We were also really happy that Kirsty, Sam's friend from Ireland, got on so well with everyone.

So yes those who were there thank you. Especially Dan and Stacey for making such a long journey up to see us. It really meant a lot.

The day after was more crazy as all of Sam's family from her mum's side descended on us. Many were ok. There were just a few that were more difficult. Needless to say the day passed by and in the end things were ok.

So after all that we came back to Leamington. So far work has been ok. I have been trying to get my sleep pattern back into gear but I think the lack of stress has meant my body has decided just to get more sleep. I have my viva next tuesday so I have been preparing a bit for that. But I feel quite confident. So yes next tuesday I will be back up in Manchester for a few hours. Otherwise we met up with Ben last night and watched them kill some zombies on the Wii. It's good to have some people we know just down the road. Tomorrow after we have gone for food Sam and myself will be meeting up with some fellow goths for the first time who also live in Leamington. Should be good to speak to some like minded people.

Of course this Saturday we are heading up to Leeds on the bus to stay at Mel's for her birthday at Wendyhouse. Can't wait!

Oh and of course in preparation of starting a new roleplay group I have created a new community called etheric_labs  where all the session posts and madness can be posted

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 14:36 Awesome new tech
  tinyurl.com/btmdy6 #
• 18:40 @glitterbat yeah... it'll be the best time you have ever had your hymen broken by a chopstick!!!! Their cook book is v'good #
• 20:08 @Sunburn_ in for a penny in for a pound! A pound of dogs, a pound of meat! Yes Guiness is good but gives be nasty hangovers so I have ba ... #
• 20:08 @Sunburn_ band myself from it #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 13:07 has now got the license file so that he can run jobs on his new pc. Now I just need to get my head around this new programming language... #
• 16:39 tinyurl.com/dcvekg more about our wedding #
• 11:21 feeling a bit groggy today.... may of been the cheese last night or doing exercises when it was too late at night.... #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 09:56 Is in work... shrugging off my bout of being a down this weekend #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 15:11 Is in birmingham. But really, why so many emo's. #
• 16:57 Has seen a guy in the bullring dressed in the fetish hello kitty. He gave Sam a transfer tattoo. #
• 16:58 The alternative shops in birmingham suck. #
• 23:28 @danielmorris watch supernatural! #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 17:13 @DinaStar that is a little optimistic of them. Part time job? #
• 17:39 @DinaStar yeah that's the problem. Actually finding something... especially now. #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 15:03 has a new tumblr account #
• 15:10 Link: Our wedding on Offbeat Bride tumblr.com/xd71exbel #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 00:01 @zoetica epic. Full of win. #
• 00:02 now has wedding photos back... tinyurl.com/dhq4ou #
• 00:03 @DinaStar Your doing it so you can get a good degree, and they will all fail!! #

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Wedding Photos

So today I took a day off as I still ache in my back from Venice etc. All those bridges and our bags. Sigh. But the good thing today was that a man from DHL brought to us a parcel. Our wedding photos cd and the wedding certifcates.


So for your viewing pleasure









































































 

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 15:59 Is at Sam's mum's with the family. Scary. #
• 21:52 @zoetica twas great. Didn't feel like 3 hours long. I found that it was as intense as TDK but the message was the important bit. #
• 22:00 terminator 4 trailer looks awesome, epic and great #

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A union before the stars and elements

Thanksto trashykitty for his excellent photo from the day

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 12:27 @Sunburn_ they come in pill form!!! #
• 12:34 contemplates his entire lack of access to real italian coffee. Fuck!!! #
• 22:33 @danielmorris see you there!!! #
• 23:35 Looking forward to tomorrow. I get to see all my friends who so that I can show them some of the photos and video of the wedding. #

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Venice, Wedding, the complete works!

So Sunday 22^nd evening

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 22:07 Just dropped his kitkat stick in his coffee. Twas a complex affair to retrieve and eat it. #

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5 Things

OK so glittersavvy 's friend thedinster gave me 5 things that she associates with me that I have to elaborate on.

The rules are such - comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects I associate with you. Then, post this in your journal and elaborate on the subjects given.

I got given Anime hair, science, cheeky grin, sci-fi, guyliner.



Anime Hair: Right well I have had spikey hair since my second year of uni, just before I started working for Games Workshop. So I spiked it up and it grew, and gained the style that it has now. However to begin with it is my normal, boring, dark brown hair. Then before Xmas that year (was it 2002) it was bleached and it was from then on that it went through the combinations of colours. It has been bleached, black, normal brown, dark red, bleached, dark red again, bleached, black and now bleached again. Of course when it has been dark I have grown the angled sideburns ala Wolverine style. As a results I have gained the monikas of Wolverine, Weapon X, Manga Kris, Anime Kris, Cloud, Spikey Kris etc. I do really like my hair like this. It is far more fun, interesting, and I am comfortable this way. However, I do find it can attract too much attention as if it is some supernatural, unobtainable, essence (when really it is just bleach, cut and gunk... easy!). What I have learn't is that much easier to deal with, and looks nicer, if it is bleached (it sticks up easier and doesn't look greasy).

Science: Well this is what I do, 'Science', that mysterious field where geeks swan around in white lab coats and lab specs, blowing shit up and mutating hamsters into gigantic beasts of mass destruction. That or playing Warcraft and generally wanking off because we can't get girlfriends. No actually I am a theoretical chemist. What does that mean I hear you cry? I use and design programs to perform computer simulations of molecules and reactions. This previously has been of water, amino acids and atomic ions in water. Now I work on the simulation of Copper containing proteins. Where did this all start? I guess in part my dream of being a scientist of some sort, a dream fueled by books on spacecraft, planets, dinosaurs, and science fiction in the form of comics and novels, lego and transformers. Science is sort of in the blood for me since my mother is a pharmacist and my dad is a retired electrician. Of course the choice of being a chemist wasn't set in stone until I got to sixth form when I realised that there was a middle ground between physics, chemistry and history and tried to balance all these things, eventually dropping history and taking maths instead (I had thought of being a archaeologist but doing carbon dating etc). From then on the rest is pretty well known as I found the course at UMIST that allowed me to still be rooted in physics.

Cheeky Grin: Do I have one of these? I honestly have trouble smiling for the camera. I either have a thin little smile or a wide, sliced from ear to ear, grin. glittersavvy says I look a bit like Jack Nicholson because of it. I really do smile normally though, but I just can't stage my smile for the camera, it just becomes this flash of teeth that scares people. It may also be because I don't like showing off my teeth. I miss two upper incisors meaning that my canines have been brought forward to give me a bite. Thus I consider my teeth a bit ugly and strange. It makes me look half like a vampire. But is it cheeky??? No I just think I am cheeky and a plain bastard who has an evil sense of humour!

Sci-Fi: Well based upon what I said about 'Science' I have made a start on Sci-Fi. So you already know that I was into science from an early age. I owned transformers, he-man, lego, technic, and was obssessed with mythology from about the age of 8. Star Wars, Star Trek, all of it. It's hard to say what single things stand out for me? I was into anime back when there were only 4 channels and channel 4 was showing Guyver and Oedo 808 late night before my parents got Sky. I also was introduced to wargaming by a friend when I was 12. Warhammer 40000 of course! The first army I got was an Eldar (think space elves) for the game Epic (this is the really tiny men where you can represent thousands of men and massive engines of war at a time). Then I got Spyrer hunters for the game Necromunda (scifi gang battles), Tyranids (evil bug eyed aracnid like monsters with bio weaponary) for Warhammer 40000, Chaos warriors for Warhammer fantasy and Empire for Warmaster. Of course later, at uni, I worked for Games Workshop so I have played a number of different wargames and used a number of armies and read a lot of books and background material on the games. As a result of this hobby I have also got into playing CCGs like Magic the Gathering (though not anymore) and of course table top roleplay games (think warcraft but with no computers and actual social skills). I began with DnD and then went on to run Star Wars and lots and lots of White Wolf games (eg Vampire the Masquerade etc... bloody goth!). I guess my favourite scifi tv series are Babylon 5, Star Trek DS9, Supernatural, Moonlight, Stargate SG1 and I hate to say, Smallville. Films I tend to go for Dune, Event Horizon, Transformers, Ninja Scoll, Casshern, Sunlight and the Fountain. Books, The Book of the New Sun, Neverwhere, Neuromancer, Chung Kuo.

As you can see Sci-fi is in everything for me. I just can't remove it from my life, it is too entwined with my life and maybe my job. I really like how my new supevisor is also a scifi lover. Hurrah! I just lent him the sequel to the Book of the New Sun, The Urth of the New Sun.

Guyliner: I first started wearing it went I went to Stacey's birthday party, but I got enough compliments from friends, and plenty form my at the time new girlfriend, glittersavvy , that it has become a common practice for me to wear it when I go out to a club. I just tend to wear any form of makeup for clubs, and fortunately glittersavvy is well skilled in the application of it to my face. This also means I wear MAC as that is what glittersavvy  has in her collection.

A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 20:07 Is eating veal, beef, boar, bull, tongue, sausage and polenta all on one plate. I feel evil! #

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A Secret Transmission within the Guild

• 15:34 Our hotel is next to the castle in verona. #

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