Another end of the academic year...

 ...another farewell (20/365, 20 Jan 2022)

Thursday, two classes each week, two seminar groups. Today, in the midst of a renewed call for a return to online classes tomorrow, was the last class (ever) for our fourth year students. They all succeeded in submitting their graduation dissertations yesterday so today was set aside for a last get-together, in class, as students. All have secured a job when the graduate in March, all ready to start in April. 

The seminar system in Japanese unis is great and it is an innovation I'd like to see introduced in Australia. In recent years at home there has been a focus on 'first-year experience' but I was always concerned it then left first years a bit more vulnerable in their following years when the attention faded. I first experienced the system as an exchange student and again in graduate school, where the same seminar system was a feature of the teaching program.

Seminar classes here, given a typical Japanese degree is four years full-time, generally start in the second semester of second year and continue through until, like today, the students reach fourth year. For most, it culminates in the submission of a dissertation that in theory, they have been studying and researching for two or so years. Most seminars have a theme based on the lecturer's research interests, and given mine encompass Japanese politics very broadly defined, students usually find something they are interested in. 

Typically, we meet once a week, sometimes students will present their research or their findings, we might read books with a common theme of interest, share news analysis and so on. For many students it is the key group of their uni experience besides their club activities. 

Typically, also, over two years, we would normally go on a 'gasshuku', a trip somewhere to the mountains or to the sea, to spend a little time studying, a little time bonding. Perhaps an occasional evening out after class. Unfortunately due to Covid restrictions, we weren't able to do any of those things. Indeed, this group have spent half of their university experience under Covid restrictions, a lot of time learning online and that was a common theme today in their final comments. It is a bit sad, it would have been a great group to spend a few days away with. On the other hand, they have come out of the experience with a lot of maturity. 

So as our last class today, there was a lot of reminiscing, a lot of laughter, and gifts shared. Today's pics are the flowers and the wonderful card they made, the reverse side with all their personal messages. 

How interesting are these ones?

It is my fourth seminar group to graduate since I started teaching here. It is a happy-sad day. Every time.

Today's pics snapped with the iPhone 12 mini, in my office, after a few tears were wiped away, perhaps.

Normal transmission should resume tomorrow, actually, I don't know really, for tomorrow we go back to a quasi-restriction period. Back to online classes for the remaining two weeks.

Would you fly to the moon...

 ...or just take photos? (19/365, 19 Jan 2022)

Yes, a bit of a catch-up. Crunch time at work with classes, end of semester, final reports, thinking ahead to next semester (already). Late nights, early starts.

Anyway, enough with the excuses. No, I didn't get out for my walk today but I also knew in the back my mind, with a full moon around, well, that was always going to be the focus (amateur photographer's amateur pun...). I have been taking pics of the moon for well, a few years now and no, I'm not improving but I persist. 

I have also played lots of songs involving the moon in my various band incarnations--'Fly me to the Moon', 'Moon River', 'Moonlight Serenade', 'Walking on the Moon', 'Moonshadow'...how many songs about the moon...how many earworms have I triggered with this list?

With the moon setting over the 'burbs early this morning (around 6:20am) I figured this would be today's pic. (Narrator: As it turned out, it was.)

Early morning, 6:20am 

I did snap it last night when I got home too, closer to its 'full' phase, around 9:20pm, coincidence to take them almost exactly nine hours apart. What difference you notice? According to the experts, this month's full moon was the farthest from earth, compared with more recent moons. Fun fact, in Australia we see 'the man in the moon', in Japan, we see...a rabbit.

Last night's view, 9:20pm

I continue to be fascinated by it but would I ever fly there? Only on a saxophone solo. 

These pics taken with the main cam, Canon EOS 90D, the 100-400mm last night, the 70-300mm this morning. 

A few little surprises...

...the original twitterers... (18/365, 18 Jan 2022)

Some days, doing this project, you never know what is in store and I guess that is the point of it too. Of course, last Sunday was exciting, spotting the kingfisher. Today however, in a short break between classes and meetings, and before sunset, I went down around the port and waterways, not far from where I went last week when I so hopefully hoped that a short walk each day would become part of the standard schedule. (Narrator: it hasn't, yet)

I wasn't looking for anything in particular...a little urban landscape perhaps...a few birds flying overhead, a few more ducks over on the water, in the fading light. OK, I thought, this will do.

Looking up

Plenty of ducks

But then, as I walked a little further, some of the local sparrows turned up for a bit of a play. Sparrows are actually still quite common in these parts. I remember them as a child in my grandmother's backyard for example (yes, a long time ago) but as others have commented occasionally via Australian twitter, we tend not to see them quite so much these days. In Brisbane, my hometown, I suspect they've been chased out by the noisy miners and perhaps even the rainbow lorikeets, as they have flourished in the suburbs.

But back to today's sparrows, it started with one or two then a few more flew in and then, well, a small inundation! I hope they weren't anticipating a few crumbs, couldn't help them on that score  I'm afraid. 

It started with one...

then two...

then there were three..

A little windblown 

Too much fun for just one photographic walk

I could have stayed there a little longer, they didn't fly off like I've seen sparrows do in other areas but, I had a meeting to get back to...so I went my way, and they theirs.

Today's cam was the Canon EOS M5, 18-150mm lens. 

 

Some days...

...maybe just one (17/365, 17 Jan 2022)

Some days, despite best intentions, there might be just one pic. Today is one of those days. January in Japan, is actually the end of the teaching year, the academic year commencing in April and ending in March. January (and this year, the first week of February) is usually when we wind up the teaching, the remaining few weeks taken up with marking, grading, preparing for the next year, graduations, welcoming ceremonies and then starting all over again. 

This was supposed to all end for me last year. This time last year, I had planned to be counting down the teaching hours before 'retiring' from teaching and heading home to write, mostly. Of course, this pandemic ... well, we all know the rest. 

So it is kind of appropriate that today's pic is a quick snap taken of the the sunset, from the end of the corridor. Winter in Japan often gives us wonderful blue skies and at this time the year, often brilliant sunsets. After a morning of online meetings and a trip to work around lunchtime, as tempted as I was to step outside, work, as it does, overtook my good intentions. 

I'll just keep looking wistfully at my sunset view...waiting for my turn to come. 

But for these buildings, we might see Mt Fuji from here...

Today, a quick pic on the iPhone 12 mini. 

Lovely day for a bike ride...

...ah, but for a bigger lens (16/365, 16 Jan 2022)

Until a few days ago, today was in the diary as another day at work, another day supervising entrance exams. 'Tis the season on the one hand, on the other, they seem to happen a lot. This weekend however, is the main 'central' exams, held all over the country at the same time. Students who don't make it through these ones have other opportunities to get into uni but these ones on January are the main deal. Sometimes hampered by snowfalls on the day, this weekend's exams were marked by an attack by a troubled youth yesterday outside Tokyo University, and this morning by concerns over a tsunami as a result of the Tongan volcano overnight. 

For me usually, this day is an early start, I need to be on campus by 7:30am for meetings and the like, but fewer students applying this year meant that for some of us, it was our turn for a break. Always grateful for an exam-free Sunday.

What to do. A beautiful blue sky day, no more ice left on the roads, some active supporting of 'Strawberry Day' yesterday (those of you who see my Insta will know what I mean...), of course that points to a bike ride doesn't it. And you would be right. Nothing too fancy, just to the park in the next suburb that has a nice track on the outside for joggers and bikers...just a pleasant ride really.

On these neighbourhood rides I tend to pack the medium Canon M5, lightish, compactish, reasonable zoom lens, I mean it's just a ride to the park, right? And so I went. 

They do have, at this park, a 'bird sanctuary' set up, mainly for photographers, a special construction that gives you a chance to look for birds in the park surrounds without looking too conspicuous. It wasn't my plan to go there today, being Sunday it is always fairly crowded and I didn't have the big cam. Instead, I continued around the corner and paused at a smaller part of the large pond in the park. It is pretty enough, has a few ducks, you get nice reflections...that would do I thought for today's efforts. 

Within a few minutes however, I noted that this little corner of the park was filled with people with binoculars, large zoom lenses and all looking upward. My first thought...I should have brought along the big cam, obviously. 

When I finally saw the object of their interest...gee did I regret not having the big cam with me... Nonetheless, here are today's pics, another lovely day, another pleasant ride. 

Parked the bike to watch the ducks

This little blue streak was creating all the excitement

Moments like these I wish...I had the bigger lens on me 😞

And then it came closer...

Allowed me to take a couple of pics

The ducks never disappoint

It flittered hither, it flittered thither

Waiting

More reflecting

Ducks and their underwater energy 

Strength

Before the kingfisher, I was admiring the blue sky

Departs

So much effort goes into these parks

Slick

Moon on the rise on the way home

Did you pick the object of our collective interest today? 😃 Not too hard really. Very exciting. As noted, today's cam (unfortunately) the Canon EOS M5, with the 18-150mm lens. Ah but to have had the 400mm on me, imagine. Next time!

A touch of the tropics...

 ...probably where you least expect it (15/365, 15 Jan 2022)

Although, being Tokyo, not really. You can do just about anything here or within the Kanto/Greater Tokyo  region. Today however, following the emerging theme of going places in the neighbourhood I should have seen but haven't, and noting earlier in the week a poster on the community noticeboard about an orchid display, off I went. 

I thought about riding my bike but estimated the return time might be a bit dark so by bus went I. Twenty-five minutes later, I found myself just a few minutes walk away from what is effectively a botanical garden, that specialises in tropical plants, in a three-storey building, complete with humidity...yep, out here in the Tokyo suburbs.

As I said, the main show was the orchid display by the local orchid guild, and there were some spectacular specimens, even an 'Aussie Sunset'. I decided to have a stroll through the rest of the building too, I mean why not, lots of reminders of all the flora we have in Queensland. And though we were dressed for winter outside, it was pretty warm inside. 

A most interesting place, another ticked off the list, and some really interesting plants (and a very sad tortoise...I don't know why we insist on doing this to our animals). Nonetheless, I'll keep an eye out for future displays.

Classics

The Aussie Sunset

Face like a...big bird?

Another classic

Fringe

Buddies

Wish my orchids could look like this...

Intriguing, looking a bit like uni, sea urchin

Poor Mucchan

Waterfalls and all

Today was a walk with the Canon EOS M5, 18-150mm. I'm glad we were allowed to take pics. Today is also Ichigo no Hi, Strawberry Day, and elsewhere on my social media accounts, you may find captures duly acknowledging this day. 😊🍓