Just slightly wrong

Thursday was odd - alarm clock had somehow gone an hour late during the night, leaving me thinking I was getting up early only to have to run to work. I was going to Dublin that evening, as Friday was a bank holiday*, and took the U-bahn - eventually, when the ticket machine stopped spitting my coins back at me. Then I realised I had left the power cable for my laptop at home and had to go back for it at lunchtime... if I'd known, I would have bought a day pass, but it was cheaper to buy a ticket to and from the flat and then out to the airport.

[*It wasn't a holiday in Hesse, where I work, but was in neighbouring Bavaria, where our head office is, so we got it anyway. Huzzah.]

Had a wonderful three days with Mom and Dad, generally sleeping, eating lovely food, going for walks and doing computer stuff. And annoying the cat, who is getting a little slower but you wouldn't want to start underestimating her just yet.

Flight back was delayed by over an hour and a half, but the pilot made good time and I got back just over an hour after I was due. Completely forgot to get milk, but managed to almost finish my current book (A Brief History of Misogyny by Jack Holland) and actually did finish the stack of post-it stickies with coloured ends that I had accumulated in Xerox. Went out and bought some more this morning and finished the book. Result.

Last week was a bit of an unmitigated failure. I was supposed to go back to studying, but ended up finding a source of fun eBooks and staying up far, far too late reading utter nonsense. Oh, don't get me wrong, it was (obviously) highly enjoyable. Just completely the wrong thing at the wrong time.

So, tonight a bit more successful in that I was actually reading something to do with the course, although I need to spend less time on the Social Science Readings and more on preparing for the exams, a mere six weeks away. Drilling on letter and report writing and kanji work, plus the second presentation (which I keep forgetting I have to do) are what I need to be doing.

This week won't be all study - my brother has wangled a business trip to Frankfurt, so I'll be going out with him tomorrow, and we're all off to see Batman on Thursday. Should be good.

And the weekends are also steadily being ticked off - this weekend free, next weekend move flat. Weekend after that himself is here, and the following weekend I'm in the Peak District at a hen and stag do, as I'll unfortunately be in Japan for the wedding. Weekend after that free, and the following weekend I wrap up my contract and leave Frankfurt - heading straight to Sheffield for exams.

Friday after that... Japan! Have been spending lots of happy hours online checking out locations and hotels and consulting with family. Can't wait - but lots to be done before then...