I've always liked Parkinson's Law, oft quoted by Dad: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." I've decided to come up with one of my own: the goodness of a day is inversely proportional to the amount of sugar consumed for stress-related reasons.
There's nothing quite like arriving home 30 mins before bedtime. I got into work a little late after not getting out of the flat on time then going to the bank to find out what had happened to the "proper" card (EC Card) I was supposed to have received weeks ago - they had no idea and just re-ordered one for me. Then came a fun but very long lunch break spent watching G get the bank cashier to help her pay a bill and C finding out that he had been cut off a second time for not paying the same mobile phone bill.
What I was doing at work took far longer than I'd hoped, and I ended up leaving after realising I could barely type straight any more, and one message in particular engendering hysterical laughter. Then it was into the supermarket for yoghurt and muesli for breakfast, more Lavazza coffee, decaf Lavazza coffee for when I really shouldn't be having any, and, after I wandered around with C trying to find ingredients for brownies and ended up in the Imported Foods aisle, a box of Oreos and Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix. It wasn't a good day in terms of sugar.
An unfavourable sequence of trains kept me waiting for 20 minutes at my least favourite place, Hauptwache station. There are only two buses an hour at this time of night, so I walked home - at least I got the exercise in and managed to avoid the rain. Snow is forecast for tomorrow, so back to the winter coat.
In theory I'm where I want to be - translating at a major international company and taking on even more responsibility by editing. But once you open this particular box and step inside, nothing seems worth it. Yes, I'm sure it all looks very shiny from the outside, but it makes me think very, very fondly of places I walked away from because I considered them not good enough.
I have 10 more weeks here (including this one) before I go on a 2 week last push to get the Annotated Translation for my MA done, which is the last component. I started it last weekend, but didn't get too far. And obviously will not be doing any tonight. In between now and then, I have Easter in Zurich with himself and the May bank holiday weekend (that's Friday here on the continent) back in the UK for the final clearout of the flat.
And somewhere in between, some sleep. Time for the German sleepy tea...
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Important!
I searched for "German phrases" thinking I would get to the bank one of these days and wanting to know how to say "Does anyone here speak English?"
I found this page - because you never know when you'll need to know the word for "anti-tank gun" or how to say "Don't try any tricks!"
I found this page - because you never know when you'll need to know the word for "anti-tank gun" or how to say "Don't try any tricks!"
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
I'm not dead - and rabbits!
I was going to do an update the other day, but going into Blogger from my usual bookmark was giving me a page in German where the only options I could make out were "Change Password" and "Create Account".
First, the really important news - rabbits! I was walking back after having gone to the supermarket down the road (where I completely failed to find bin bags despite it being quite obvious what they look like worldwide) and walking up between the blocks of flats on the next road over - the blocks have their small/thin/side end to the road and there are raised grassy areas between them with areas to hang laundry, etc. And right at the end of one, I saw a tiny shadow with long ears! And as it shot away towards the road I saw another, larger, one on the raised grassy area. Happiness.
I didn't see any last night, as I was out until silly o'clock doing karaoke. It's amazing how many rock songs are perfectly suited to it - someone always does Hotel California, and Immigrant Song and Paranoid (both the Garbage one and the Black Sabbath one) are wonderful as well.
Tonight, came back from work late as usual, and walked back from the station but seemed to lose half the muscles in my legs about 4/5 of the way back and had to clump along noisily and gracelessly for the last bit. Certainly scared off any rabbits around.
Not much else to report really - working away, trying not to eat just because I'm lacking energy, enjoying the work and hanging around with colleagues. Very much looking forward to being back in Reading next weekend for Valentine's day - so much so that I had convinced myself during the week that it was this weekend, and was worried about my flight being cancelled due to snow. sigh
In other news, I think I've found a text for my annotated translation, a chapter from 近代天皇制への道程 (The Road to the Modern Emperor System)by 田中彰 (Akira Tanaka). He is an established historian so a safe choice, and I've always been interested in the role of the emperor - be it real or imagined - in the Meiji Restoration and subsequent events. So, should be interesting both to translate and to research around. More work to be done...
First, the really important news - rabbits! I was walking back after having gone to the supermarket down the road (where I completely failed to find bin bags despite it being quite obvious what they look like worldwide) and walking up between the blocks of flats on the next road over - the blocks have their small/thin/side end to the road and there are raised grassy areas between them with areas to hang laundry, etc. And right at the end of one, I saw a tiny shadow with long ears! And as it shot away towards the road I saw another, larger, one on the raised grassy area. Happiness.
I didn't see any last night, as I was out until silly o'clock doing karaoke. It's amazing how many rock songs are perfectly suited to it - someone always does Hotel California, and Immigrant Song and Paranoid (both the Garbage one and the Black Sabbath one) are wonderful as well.
Tonight, came back from work late as usual, and walked back from the station but seemed to lose half the muscles in my legs about 4/5 of the way back and had to clump along noisily and gracelessly for the last bit. Certainly scared off any rabbits around.
Not much else to report really - working away, trying not to eat just because I'm lacking energy, enjoying the work and hanging around with colleagues. Very much looking forward to being back in Reading next weekend for Valentine's day - so much so that I had convinced myself during the week that it was this weekend, and was worried about my flight being cancelled due to snow. sigh
In other news, I think I've found a text for my annotated translation, a chapter from 近代天皇制への道程 (The Road to the Modern Emperor System)by 田中彰 (Akira Tanaka). He is an established historian so a safe choice, and I've always been interested in the role of the emperor - be it real or imagined - in the Meiji Restoration and subsequent events. So, should be interesting both to translate and to research around. More work to be done...
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Happy days
I take it back - the shower may look ancient, but with the excellent water pressure in the building it does the job very nicely. This makes me very happy.
So, a week with mostly ten-hour days and still feeling like there isn't enough time. Several colleagues are in work today, and they're still recruiting like crazy. Really, really enjoying it.
Stumbled home last night and watched an entire season of anime - I think I may have worried the neighbours by laughing out loud for several hours, but they got me back this morning by playing Euro-pop at high volume.
So, a week with mostly ten-hour days and still feeling like there isn't enough time. Several colleagues are in work today, and they're still recruiting like crazy. Really, really enjoying it.
Stumbled home last night and watched an entire season of anime - I think I may have worried the neighbours by laughing out loud for several hours, but they got me back this morning by playing Euro-pop at high volume.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Well mixed
Good: got a lot of work done, got a power adapter, the flat has a bath (although there's still no heat in the bathroom and I don't know if I'll be staying here), figured out the bus route, recovered my grammar guide from the office book stack, ate none of the chocolate I brought back as a team present. Treated myself to some sushi in the department store food section I ended up doing my food shop in - two each mackerel, tuna and egg. Yum.
Bad: the phone charger sold to me by the T-Mobile shop is the wrong one for my phone, my brand new top has a hole in it, the shower in the bathroom looks like the one my grandmother used to have, the water tastes absolutely vile. Had lunch at the Chinese takeaway in the supermarket, which I was trying to avoid, but I was starving and wanted something warm. I deliberately didn't go to Lush before I left as I know there's one here, but it's much more expensive and is out of stock of things... which I've never seen in Reading... and doesn't get them in again for two weeks.
But on balance, getting better. Oh, and it's stopped raining. Not sure which category the amount of coffee I drank today goes into.
Bad: the phone charger sold to me by the T-Mobile shop is the wrong one for my phone, my brand new top has a hole in it, the shower in the bathroom looks like the one my grandmother used to have, the water tastes absolutely vile. Had lunch at the Chinese takeaway in the supermarket, which I was trying to avoid, but I was starving and wanted something warm. I deliberately didn't go to Lush before I left as I know there's one here, but it's much more expensive and is out of stock of things... which I've never seen in Reading... and doesn't get them in again for two weeks.
But on balance, getting better. Oh, and it's stopped raining. Not sure which category the amount of coffee I drank today goes into.
Et tu?
I bought a small electric toothbrush on Sunday to bring over - I really noticed the difference when I didn't have one here last time, and they plug into shaver sockets which are universal. Except this flat doesn't have one at all.
And I forgot the phone charger for my German mobile, which is now almost dead.
Oh well - at least I feel like I had a decent night's sleep. The duvet was incredibly thin, especially with the heating still building up, but I found a second one in the cupboard so that worked nicely. The bed is very strange, but didn't stop me sleeping. Apart from the bedroom door, none of the internal doors actually close - they're all hung wrong and scrape on the floor and don't line up with the frames.
So, a bit of shopping at lunchtime, methinks - adaptor plug, toothbrush, phone charger...
And I forgot the phone charger for my German mobile, which is now almost dead.
Oh well - at least I feel like I had a decent night's sleep. The duvet was incredibly thin, especially with the heating still building up, but I found a second one in the cupboard so that worked nicely. The bed is very strange, but didn't stop me sleeping. Apart from the bedroom door, none of the internal doors actually close - they're all hung wrong and scrape on the floor and don't line up with the frames.
So, a bit of shopping at lunchtime, methinks - adaptor plug, toothbrush, phone charger...
Monday, 19 January 2009
Auspicious?
Well, that could have gone more smoothly - but no permanent harm involved.
I got about 2 hours of sleep last night between packing until late, being unable to sleep and getting up just a smidgen before 5:00am in order to get a taxi at 5:10 for the coach at 5:30 to check in at 6:30 and fly at 7:10, land at 9:45 German time and be in the office about 11:00am. That all worked out, although I was feeling fairly miserable by the time we landed. Grabbing a Meal Deal in the Boots in Terminal 2 Duty Free was an excellent idea - much as I would have loved to go to Nero, the queue did not allow it.
The adult businessmen on the flight were worse than children - twice the amount of hand luggage they should have, throwing it in under unoccupied seats, stowing luggage in the emergency exit and being told off by the stewardesses, same guy stowing his coat in the emergency exit and being told off by the bursar and when the bursar tried to go back to the front of the plane he caught someone using their iPhone.
The normal passport control desks at Frankfurt were closed for some reason, so everyone from my flight ended up milling around the terminal for a while before we could get out - at least the cases were out when we finally got to them. I took out some cash, and without thinking asked for 500 Euro, forgetting I have a withdrawal limit of £200 on my card. That was refused, but thankfully a quickly done second request for 200 Euro was successful...
No problems getting back to the office and had a nice coffee with friends before being thrown in at the deep end. I'm not doing the project I thought I would be because something more important had come up... but still translation and looking forward to it. The rush involved meant that it was 8:15 by the time I left. Himself also contacted me to let me know the bank had called about a refused transaction on my card. Must sort that out soon.
I had been told I was going back to my old flat - which was great as a) I know where it is and b) I left a lot of stuff there, like coffee filters and tupperware. However, the office had lost my keys. So I ended up with keys to another flat. I hoped? assumed? that someone would help me get over to the flat, but by the time I'd finished what I was doing they had mostly staggered home after hitting the 10-hour German time limit. So, a not entirely fun evening of dragging luggage around an unfamiliar area - my case really doesn't like the bricks they use for German pavements.
That said, I did find it first time (a miracle for me, I know) - all the credit goes to Google Maps for showing me what the area looked like, I'm much better with that than any kind of directions.
The flat is very nice, quite large and even has a bath! Don't know if I'll be staying or not. But the heating isn't on so that will take a little while to kick in. To top it all off, I have brought the wrong adaptor plug (US/NZ instead of Europe) so have no plug-in power for the laptop. I shall leave it here for tonight...
I got about 2 hours of sleep last night between packing until late, being unable to sleep and getting up just a smidgen before 5:00am in order to get a taxi at 5:10 for the coach at 5:30 to check in at 6:30 and fly at 7:10, land at 9:45 German time and be in the office about 11:00am. That all worked out, although I was feeling fairly miserable by the time we landed. Grabbing a Meal Deal in the Boots in Terminal 2 Duty Free was an excellent idea - much as I would have loved to go to Nero, the queue did not allow it.
The adult businessmen on the flight were worse than children - twice the amount of hand luggage they should have, throwing it in under unoccupied seats, stowing luggage in the emergency exit and being told off by the stewardesses, same guy stowing his coat in the emergency exit and being told off by the bursar and when the bursar tried to go back to the front of the plane he caught someone using their iPhone.
The normal passport control desks at Frankfurt were closed for some reason, so everyone from my flight ended up milling around the terminal for a while before we could get out - at least the cases were out when we finally got to them. I took out some cash, and without thinking asked for 500 Euro, forgetting I have a withdrawal limit of £200 on my card. That was refused, but thankfully a quickly done second request for 200 Euro was successful...
No problems getting back to the office and had a nice coffee with friends before being thrown in at the deep end. I'm not doing the project I thought I would be because something more important had come up... but still translation and looking forward to it. The rush involved meant that it was 8:15 by the time I left. Himself also contacted me to let me know the bank had called about a refused transaction on my card. Must sort that out soon.
I had been told I was going back to my old flat - which was great as a) I know where it is and b) I left a lot of stuff there, like coffee filters and tupperware. However, the office had lost my keys. So I ended up with keys to another flat. I hoped? assumed? that someone would help me get over to the flat, but by the time I'd finished what I was doing they had mostly staggered home after hitting the 10-hour German time limit. So, a not entirely fun evening of dragging luggage around an unfamiliar area - my case really doesn't like the bricks they use for German pavements.
That said, I did find it first time (a miracle for me, I know) - all the credit goes to Google Maps for showing me what the area looked like, I'm much better with that than any kind of directions.
The flat is very nice, quite large and even has a bath! Don't know if I'll be staying or not. But the heating isn't on so that will take a little while to kick in. To top it all off, I have brought the wrong adaptor plug (US/NZ instead of Europe) so have no plug-in power for the laptop. I shall leave it here for tonight...
Monday, 12 January 2009
Ouch
An icy week with not much good in the way of news either.
Although the contract is almost sorted, still working on other things which - depending on how they work out - will make things even more complicated.
Got the results back for my last essay. Let's just say they contain the word 'disappointing'. I really went for it on this essay, but it's just not good enough. It didn't feel like an MA essay, just a good BA one, and the tutor isn't going to let that pass. It's one of the things I like about her. Not that it does me much good now. All the more reason to go for the annotated translation, if I tried for the thesis I'd probably just hurt myself.
Not a ray of sunshine recently... was incredibly cranky by the end of last week but had a great time in London on Saturday with friends and brother and spent yesterday in my pajamas doing not much. Must get out and buy milk.
Although the contract is almost sorted, still working on other things which - depending on how they work out - will make things even more complicated.
Got the results back for my last essay. Let's just say they contain the word 'disappointing'. I really went for it on this essay, but it's just not good enough. It didn't feel like an MA essay, just a good BA one, and the tutor isn't going to let that pass. It's one of the things I like about her. Not that it does me much good now. All the more reason to go for the annotated translation, if I tried for the thesis I'd probably just hurt myself.
Not a ray of sunshine recently... was incredibly cranky by the end of last week but had a great time in London on Saturday with friends and brother and spent yesterday in my pajamas doing not much. Must get out and buy milk.
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Resolution
First, some comedy. Sent to me by otouto's other half, the truth about Wii Fit. I absolutely agree. I have sworn more at Wii Fit than anything else, even Zelda bosses. Its cheerfulness is part of what makes it so insulting. You have to be bloody-minded for it.
Next, just how sweet Okami is - feeding rabbits. After you've fed a group of animals, they permanently emit hearts whenever you're near, even when they're asleep. かわいい！
Just done 12 minutes of 'jogging' on Wii Fit, as a pathetic attempt to make up for being sat on my rear end all day. I was bouncing That Contract back and forth between the agency and a HR-savvy friend, and on chat to someone else in the same situation trying to find anyone who can advise us on German tax liability - while trying to get through an explosion of activity on the twinned school talkboards. Net result was barely moving until about 4:00pm. I'm going to try to go for another round before dinner.
Learned a new word yesterday - venepuncturist. The nice people at NHS Blood Service who put the needle in. One of them kindly came over to check on me when the smart scales complained that it the flow had gone a bit slow... and adjusted the needle. Now, I can only really do blood donation if I don't look and don't think about it too much, but I instinctively looked down and the sight - and sensation - will be with me for a while. The guy doing the questionnaires had a ball with the list of countries I've been in for over 6 months in my entire life. Must remember to book an appointment next time though - it took nearly 2 hours without one.
I'm sure I had more witty things to say, but they've slipped my mind. Shall try to get out more and have more to comment on!
Next, just how sweet Okami is - feeding rabbits. After you've fed a group of animals, they permanently emit hearts whenever you're near, even when they're asleep. かわいい！
Just done 12 minutes of 'jogging' on Wii Fit, as a pathetic attempt to make up for being sat on my rear end all day. I was bouncing That Contract back and forth between the agency and a HR-savvy friend, and on chat to someone else in the same situation trying to find anyone who can advise us on German tax liability - while trying to get through an explosion of activity on the twinned school talkboards. Net result was barely moving until about 4:00pm. I'm going to try to go for another round before dinner.
Learned a new word yesterday - venepuncturist. The nice people at NHS Blood Service who put the needle in. One of them kindly came over to check on me when the smart scales complained that it the flow had gone a bit slow... and adjusted the needle. Now, I can only really do blood donation if I don't look and don't think about it too much, but I instinctively looked down and the sight - and sensation - will be with me for a while. The guy doing the questionnaires had a ball with the list of countries I've been in for over 6 months in my entire life. Must remember to book an appointment next time though - it took nearly 2 hours without one.
I'm sure I had more witty things to say, but they've slipped my mind. Shall try to get out more and have more to comment on!
Monday, 5 January 2009
Check one
One New Year's resolution at least partially kept - went and donated blood today. Feel the usual happy but slightly light and stupefied. Working my way slowly through the To-Do List left over from 2008. Some are easy (send thank-you letters and emails) and some are a bit more involved (sort out pension).
I still don't know if I'm going to Germany or not. There was a great deal of progress on the contract today, but still some sore points and now deep thinking - in the absence of much concrete information - about what German tax liability is like. I still have some time, but it would be nice to know as so much else hinges upon it.
Need to get back to my MA work soon, specifically deciding on a thesis or a translation - I'm interested in nationalism and propaganda and the way in which the people were influenced by them between WWI and WWII, but it's a very big topic. Or an annotated translation, but my reading is still not strong enough and just understanding enough of a text to know if it's suitable or not takes an obscene amount of time.
Himself picked up Okami for the Wii on sale on New Year's Eve, and it's wonderful. I've mainly been watching him play it, but I could definitely play it myself. If only for the unutterably sweet cut-scenes when you feed the animals. And there's the pseudo-Japaneseness of it all which I enjoy.
New Year's was great - Wales was freezing, literally - the pond in our friends' back garden was solid and himself was able to walk around the edge of a reservoir on one of the two walks we went on. It was too cold to be out for long, but really enjoyable. Our friends' neighbours' dog had puppies, so we spent a while cooing over nine adorable baby labradors as well.
Oh, and it snowed! Today, while I was walking around. Hope it's also dumping it down in the mountains in Europe, as himself is going snowboarding from this weekend.
I still don't know if I'm going to Germany or not. There was a great deal of progress on the contract today, but still some sore points and now deep thinking - in the absence of much concrete information - about what German tax liability is like. I still have some time, but it would be nice to know as so much else hinges upon it.
Need to get back to my MA work soon, specifically deciding on a thesis or a translation - I'm interested in nationalism and propaganda and the way in which the people were influenced by them between WWI and WWII, but it's a very big topic. Or an annotated translation, but my reading is still not strong enough and just understanding enough of a text to know if it's suitable or not takes an obscene amount of time.
Himself picked up Okami for the Wii on sale on New Year's Eve, and it's wonderful. I've mainly been watching him play it, but I could definitely play it myself. If only for the unutterably sweet cut-scenes when you feed the animals. And there's the pseudo-Japaneseness of it all which I enjoy.
New Year's was great - Wales was freezing, literally - the pond in our friends' back garden was solid and himself was able to walk around the edge of a reservoir on one of the two walks we went on. It was too cold to be out for long, but really enjoyable. Our friends' neighbours' dog had puppies, so we spent a while cooing over nine adorable baby labradors as well.
Oh, and it snowed! Today, while I was walking around. Hope it's also dumping it down in the mountains in Europe, as himself is going snowboarding from this weekend.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Unintended gifts
I was reading a book on arthritis (Mom is starting to suffer from it in her hands), written by a nurse in 1985. There's a paragraph lamenting the lack of nutritional education among young mothers and therefore the impossibility of their children being well fed or knowing how to feed themselves. The whole things ends up with the blithe assertion that women are responsible for the working power of the nation. I'm never going to be able to read this kind of thing again after that essay...
Mom and Dad were happy with their gifts, but Dad would have been a lot happier if I hadn't given him my cold. Sorry about that.
And himself sent me this adorable picture of the changeover of Chinese zodiac years.
Mom and Dad were happy with their gifts, but Dad would have been a lot happier if I hadn't given him my cold. Sorry about that.
And himself sent me this adorable picture of the changeover of Chinese zodiac years.
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Ooooh yes...
Himself managed to find his present. So, I thought I'd get him another one, and kind of took a chance on something that I hope he'll like but not quite sure.
He's got me the latest edition of Rough Guide Japan, which I really wanted. While we were sitting around in Waterstones talking about what to get for his brother, himself suddenly said that what he should have asked for was... what I've got for him! I don't think it will arrive in time - we're both gone as of tomorrow morning for Christmas - but if I'm lucky I'll have a 'we tried to deliver' card that I can pick up from the sorting office before we go to Wales for New Year.
Result.
He's got me the latest edition of Rough Guide Japan, which I really wanted. While we were sitting around in Waterstones talking about what to get for his brother, himself suddenly said that what he should have asked for was... what I've got for him! I don't think it will arrive in time - we're both gone as of tomorrow morning for Christmas - but if I'm lucky I'll have a 'we tried to deliver' card that I can pick up from the sorting office before we go to Wales for New Year.
Result.
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Twinkle twinkle little tree
If anyone reading this might be talking to Mom - I suspect that limits it to Dad and possibly otouto - don't tell her, because this is one of her Chrisse pressies!
This is a kit for a Christmas tree made from star-shaped cushions (with a pompom on top!) that I got in Hobbyra Hobbyre in Nagoya, not this year but last year. I failed to make it in time for last Christmas, so that was one of the impetuses behind me going out and getting a sewing machine. I'm quite happy with how it turned out, especially seen it was my first time using a sewing machine and by far the most ambitious thing I've ever tried to sew.
That was actually quite fun. Now for the fabric bowls.
This is a kit for a Christmas tree made from star-shaped cushions (with a pompom on top!) that I got in Hobbyra Hobbyre in Nagoya, not this year but last year. I failed to make it in time for last Christmas, so that was one of the impetuses behind me going out and getting a sewing machine. I'm quite happy with how it turned out, especially seen it was my first time using a sewing machine and by far the most ambitious thing I've ever tried to sew.
That was actually quite fun. Now for the fabric bowls.
We know you got
I did a favour for a friend a little while ago. It meant a lot to her, it didn't particularly inconvenience me although it did require a fair amount of trust.
We met up for dinner last night, and she brought me a thank-you present, this little psuedo-kokeshi!
She said the little blurb on the box made her think of me - I was unreasonably chuffed by the whole thing. My cheeks still ache from smiling. It's going to live on my desk, and I shall affix the included sticker and badge to something, probably my electronic dictionary and only-me bag.
Mind you, the other side of the box says 'I love Dexy's Midnight Runners' - their "Come on Eileen" was mercilessly redone as "Come on Arline" by boys at my school in France and resulted in an unfortunate incident with one of said boys, a locker door and my temper finally fraying. It takes a lot, but it can happen...
We met up for dinner last night, and she brought me a thank-you present, this little psuedo-kokeshi!
She said the little blurb on the box made her think of me - I was unreasonably chuffed by the whole thing. My cheeks still ache from smiling. It's going to live on my desk, and I shall affix the included sticker and badge to something, probably my electronic dictionary and only-me bag.
Mind you, the other side of the box says 'I love Dexy's Midnight Runners' - their "Come on Eileen" was mercilessly redone as "Come on Arline" by boys at my school in France and resulted in an unfortunate incident with one of said boys, a locker door and my temper finally fraying. It takes a lot, but it can happen...
Friday, 12 December 2008
Loving it...
...as my former manager at a certain large company used to say when things were going down the drain. As usual, my source of work isn't disappearing anywhere soon. This spontaneously appeared while I was writing an email to submit my hours for a translation project.
Mine and only mine
Sorry for the lack of posts - been working away on lots of things, just nothing interesting. Plus I think I've been treating this very much as a travel blog, so not much to report after coming back!
Last essay is safely handed in, now I have to find a thesis topic or annotated translation piece. I have filed my tax return after doing far more research than I felt comfortable with on liability for tax in Germany. Someone at one of the accountancy firms I spoke to asked someone in the expatriate tax department at Deloitte & Touche in Reading to call me and they seem to agree. Phew.
In other news, my favourite bag - a black waist pack that I used as a shoulder bag, bought in Japan back in 2003 or so and just big enough for a Lonely Planet Japan and a camera and a map - went to its eternal rest in the summer after I managed to put a rip in the bottom of it. Probably Lonely Planet Germany on top my keys. I was figuring out it was on its last legs at the craft fair I did with himself's mom in July, and one of the other stands there was a lady selling handmade bags. We got talking. I remembered I had some lovely aizome fabric I bought in Ise last year. And this is the result!
The main body of the bag is blue denim, with a wide stripe fabric for the outer pockets and flap, plus a thin stripe fabric for the lining, and a little of the wide stripe for an inside pocket. It's perfect!
I had a discussion about brand goods with a friend in Japan while I was there. She saw a designer bag as a status symbol - I'm successful, at my age I can afford one of these. Maybe, but I keep getting stuck on buying my lovely Dakine bag in Frankfurt - let me get you another identical one from out the back, Made In China. I'd much rather a handmade one of a kind item than a mass produced one. It's the same as the burst of happiness I felt when someone commented that one of bracelets could never be taken for anything but handmade. I like that.
Last essay is safely handed in, now I have to find a thesis topic or annotated translation piece. I have filed my tax return after doing far more research than I felt comfortable with on liability for tax in Germany. Someone at one of the accountancy firms I spoke to asked someone in the expatriate tax department at Deloitte & Touche in Reading to call me and they seem to agree. Phew.
In other news, my favourite bag - a black waist pack that I used as a shoulder bag, bought in Japan back in 2003 or so and just big enough for a Lonely Planet Japan and a camera and a map - went to its eternal rest in the summer after I managed to put a rip in the bottom of it. Probably Lonely Planet Germany on top my keys. I was figuring out it was on its last legs at the craft fair I did with himself's mom in July, and one of the other stands there was a lady selling handmade bags. We got talking. I remembered I had some lovely aizome fabric I bought in Ise last year. And this is the result!
The main body of the bag is blue denim, with a wide stripe fabric for the outer pockets and flap, plus a thin stripe fabric for the lining, and a little of the wide stripe for an inside pocket. It's perfect!
I had a discussion about brand goods with a friend in Japan while I was there. She saw a designer bag as a status symbol - I'm successful, at my age I can afford one of these. Maybe, but I keep getting stuck on buying my lovely Dakine bag in Frankfurt - let me get you another identical one from out the back, Made In China. I'd much rather a handmade one of a kind item than a mass produced one. It's the same as the burst of happiness I felt when someone commented that one of bracelets could never be taken for anything but handmade. I like that.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Pass!
Just got my results from the September exams - I've passed! I thought I did, but it's nice to know for sure.
Happy with my Japanese-English translation mark, and with the one from the presentation in Japanese, seen as it went a little pear-shaped. Wish I could have done more for the Writing in Japanese, but it's a fair mark for what I did do.
Final essay (have an extension from last month) due in on Friday, then I have to make a decision on doing a thesis or an annotated translation. I may be back in Germany in January, which makes the translation much more attractive... but I have to come up with some kind of topic first!
Anyway - one big hurdle passed!
Happy with my Japanese-English translation mark, and with the one from the presentation in Japanese, seen as it went a little pear-shaped. Wish I could have done more for the Writing in Japanese, but it's a fair mark for what I did do.
Final essay (have an extension from last month) due in on Friday, then I have to make a decision on doing a thesis or an annotated translation. I may be back in Germany in January, which makes the translation much more attractive... but I have to come up with some kind of topic first!
Anyway - one big hurdle passed!
Friday, 21 November 2008
Haiku time!
I noticed while posting the last post that I have a tag 'haiku' - we did haiku and also senryuu at the Japan Foundation course last night. Where haiku celebrate the beauty of nature, senryuu are ironic or sarcastic social commentaries in the haiku 5-7-5 syllable format.
隣には
知り合いの人
世界、狭！
Sitting beside me
Someone I already know
This world is so small!
Turns out I'd already sent emails about the MA to the guy sitting beside me, but neither of us realised until the people beside us started talking about JET and we joined in.
Although my favourite one of the evening has to be one where he came up with the idea and I managed to fit it into 5-7-5 syllables - you had to do four seasonal ones, with this one for spring and the last line already there:
二日酔い
誰のせいだろ
桜かな
I'm so hung over...
Who is to blame for this pain?
The cherry blossoms!
The かな doesn't actually mean 'could it be?' but just emphasises the cherry blossoms, but we used it like that anyway. And the apparently official practice of allowing a line to be one syllable over also worked in our favour, as the middle line if spelled correctly is 8 syllables... Lots of fun had by all.
隣には
知り合いの人
世界、狭！
Sitting beside me
Someone I already know
This world is so small!
Turns out I'd already sent emails about the MA to the guy sitting beside me, but neither of us realised until the people beside us started talking about JET and we joined in.
Although my favourite one of the evening has to be one where he came up with the idea and I managed to fit it into 5-7-5 syllables - you had to do four seasonal ones, with this one for spring and the last line already there:
二日酔い
誰のせいだろ
桜かな
I'm so hung over...
Who is to blame for this pain?
The cherry blossoms!
The かな doesn't actually mean 'could it be?' but just emphasises the cherry blossoms, but we used it like that anyway. And the apparently official practice of allowing a line to be one syllable over also worked in our favour, as the middle line if spelled correctly is 8 syllables... Lots of fun had by all.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Discomfort, horror and thievery
Did two things I haven't done in ages on Monday: cycle and bead. The cycling wasn't too bad, I hadn't forgotten nearly as much as I had feared, but having lent the bike to someone considerably taller than me while in Germany, I neglected to check the seat height and nearly killed myself as soon as I stopped and realised my feet weren't anywhere near the ground. Action Bikes in the town centre kindly lowered the seat for me.
I haven't beaded in about 9 months now, so it was good to get something simple yet very nice indeed - this curved bar and crystal bracelet kit. I'm a big fan of kits, they give you a nice finished product and also teach you a new stitch or technique. I'm never particularly original anyway.
Things have been happening, just not particularly noteworthy ones - the bathroom tiling is now finished, which is a big thing... and I'm now working on my last essay for the MA, which is about the Japanese 'comfort women' in WWII. It really is horror after horror, right down to Imperial accountants working out "how long the women would last". It's due in next Friday and although I will be very glad to see the back of it I do want to do a good job.
Another one on the list of dubious firsts, I saw someone attempting to pickpocket yesterday. He wasn't very subtle, but it made me realise just how vulnerable people are - he took a bag right off the back of a chair while the woman's boyfriend was looking in his direction and rummaged through it, it was hidden behind his coat over his arm, but I was sitting behind him. I just stared while it was happening, I couldn't believe it. After he dropped the bag and went on to another table, I walked up to the woman and asked her if she was missing anything - she wasn't and as the man realised he was being watched he quickly left. Very unpleasant.
Off into London today to work on the essay again in the confines of the SOAS library, and hopefully meet my brother and his girlfriend for dinner. I realise I haven't written much about Japan, partly due to the phone keyboards and partly just from being with people all the time I was there - no time alone to fill with writing. I will put some highlights here, such as The Confusion of the Three Firemen in Kanazawa and other noteworthy incidents.
Back to war crimes...
I haven't beaded in about 9 months now, so it was good to get something simple yet very nice indeed - this curved bar and crystal bracelet kit. I'm a big fan of kits, they give you a nice finished product and also teach you a new stitch or technique. I'm never particularly original anyway.
Things have been happening, just not particularly noteworthy ones - the bathroom tiling is now finished, which is a big thing... and I'm now working on my last essay for the MA, which is about the Japanese 'comfort women' in WWII. It really is horror after horror, right down to Imperial accountants working out "how long the women would last". It's due in next Friday and although I will be very glad to see the back of it I do want to do a good job.
Another one on the list of dubious firsts, I saw someone attempting to pickpocket yesterday. He wasn't very subtle, but it made me realise just how vulnerable people are - he took a bag right off the back of a chair while the woman's boyfriend was looking in his direction and rummaged through it, it was hidden behind his coat over his arm, but I was sitting behind him. I just stared while it was happening, I couldn't believe it. After he dropped the bag and went on to another table, I walked up to the woman and asked her if she was missing anything - she wasn't and as the man realised he was being watched he quickly left. Very unpleasant.
Off into London today to work on the essay again in the confines of the SOAS library, and hopefully meet my brother and his girlfriend for dinner. I realise I haven't written much about Japan, partly due to the phone keyboards and partly just from being with people all the time I was there - no time alone to fill with writing. I will put some highlights here, such as The Confusion of the Three Firemen in Kanazawa and other noteworthy incidents.
Back to war crimes...
Monday, 10 November 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)