Tim Got Married!!!!!

On a wonderful Saturday a few weeks ago my good friend Timmy married Miriam. This particular wedding was super exciting as all the Circus freaks from around Australia came together to celebrate. Unfortunately Chris couldn't make it over from the States, but we found ways to compensate.

When the circus is in town weird shit happens - witness the antiphoto. Although not planned everyone has somehow managed to look unphotogenic. Even the groom is wearin an expression usually associated with sociopaths

Its turns out the best remedy is to focuse on another.

The ceremony was held in in Sutton and the sun found time in its busy schedule to make an appearance, which for 2010 is pretty amazing. Tim strode down from the pub accompanied by his Best Man, father and a marching bagpipe player.

Tim marching down the road to the melodious belch of the bagpipes.

Not to be outdone, Miriam joined the grinning groom to a blood pumping drum beat.

The vows

Soon after the guests could be found knocking back a few drinks to combat the heat, and it wasn't long until everyone retired inside. We drank, we ate, we danced and we were merry.

Dancing and merriness

The next day we all met up again for a BBQ. Once again the circus crew got together made plans for out next adventure, lamenting over the missing member - when, from over the horizan, Chris peddles up in true Lauf fashion.

This is another example of weird shit happening when we get together

Upon closer inspection Chris hadn't actually travelled halfway across the world in less than 12 hours to make an amazing entrance, but it was an almighty coincidence.

Spot the difference!

RSC Christmas Party

On Thursday afternoon the Research School of Chemistry celebrated Christmas by getting the majority of staff and research students hopelessly drunk.

Chemists drinking beer - its so cliche

It was strange not having Pinko and Jen around to join in on the festivities but I still managed to enjoy myself. Much of the afternoon was spent lamenting the state of the Aussie cricket with Pat and Mikey from the Humphrey group and playing soccer on the stupendously slippery grass.

Torsten, Mikey, and Pat - the 'Humphries'

For a while I refused to run because I didn;t want to break into a sweat, but near the end it was just myself and Titou against the rest so I stepped up a gear and we ripped apart the opposition with our sheer brilliance. We both spent a lot of time in the mud.

Most of the ground was covered in puddles, and a good tactic was to kick lots of water at the defender and then run around them as they laughed at their predicament

Afterwards I challenged Tom to a game of chess. At first we started sledging each other but soon it became serious. At one stage I was two moves from a brilliant checkmate but Tom smelled something fishy and played some radical moves. Unfortunatly soon afetr the demise of my queen to a sneaky Knight spelled disaster for my army and I was resoundly beaten.

Tom, the drunken Chess master

A few of us ventured to the uni pub for dinner and to bitch and moan about undergrads students. After this Jeremy, Ian and I took to the pool tables, defeating whosoever dared to play us.

Steve and Adam - Adam's sparkley beard was blindingly delightful

From here we parted ways and I headed to the only payphones in town to call a friend of mine, Alex Haller, who was in Canberra for a conference. Despite my best efforts I couldn't get a hold of him, and then low and behold as I walked past O'Malley's there he was on his phone trying to call me back. We shared many a merry pint (and a jug) with each other, Luke Broadhurst (an ex-ressie of Fenner), and some other scientists in town for the conference too.

Myself, Alex and Luke - reunited at last

All the Guiness I had lubricated my sense of humour to just the right level until one of the girls asked if I was a comedian. I explained I also was a research scientist but that I also had a part time job, to which she immediately responded 'as a comdeian?'(bless her soul).

Lamenting the fact the Alex's is begger than mine

Unfortunately this put a lot of pressure on me to be more funny so I stopped talking for at least 5 minutes. The night ended with Alex and I promising to ride our motorcycles across Australia at some point next year.

My early attempts at being artistic

A night out on the grog

It's not very often I go out on a Thursday night, but at this time my research required me to keep weird hours and I had to be up at 2:00am. There were two ways I could keep myself occupied: twiddling my thumbs or smashing cocktails and beer. I opted for the latter.

The latter option also allowed me to make phallic symbols in public places

Grimesy, Joe, Dan, Satomi, Beachley, Bec, and Michelle joined me in this expedition and we traipsed down to Kremlin where we met Clarkey and Su Lin.

When good undergrads turn bad

After spending bucketloads of cash we sauntered over to Mesh and bumbed into Mr Liu. We busted a groove for a while, attempted to steal some grog, and made witty banter.

No one was more surprised than us to find that this unmanned bar grog fridge was locked.

Afterwards we retired to the Cigar lounge of O'Malleys.

Joe poses for all the ladies, unfurtunately none wanted to draw him naked.

By this stage it was coming onto two O'clock so Bec and I returned to Fenner and I actually completed the work I had to do.

No one notices as Dan has a fit on the dancefloor

A sneaky day off

I took a sneaky (not so sneaky now its published) day off uni with Michelle to celebrate the completion of a conference poster and reveiw article I wrote.

A Michelle in Canberra

Michelle and I enjoyed a beer in the Uni House beer garden before meandering into town to enjoy more beers/cider and watch the cricket at the Canberra Club and the Australian.

We ran into Tristan in town. It was very exciting.

Slightly tipsy we returned home just in time to receive and accept an invitation to go to Broad Burger - a caravan by the lake that sells burgers.

Swans get angry when you take photos of them (also when you through rocks at their babies)