Day 273, 30 Sep 2017: A sprain is a pain...

Day 273: ...mainly on the brain

But actually my ankle. The brain part is just the frustration of limited movement.

So, how did this happen. I'm not quite sure, I've been kind of putting up with the pain for a few days but late yesterday at work sought some medical intervention. 

At this stage, it is just a patch over the strained bit and we'll see how that goes. 

It makes me appreciate just how fortunate I was when I first lied here in Japan...never sick, never need for a doctor, tickety boo health all the way. This time not so much but it is bearable I guess. 

I went out late this afternoon to get some more of these patches...

Through the local park to admire one of my favourite pieces of local public art

They can be talking, 

Reflecting...

Massing

Shining

...let's see how they go.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 4.53pm-4.55pm; 30 September 2017] 

A little ouchy

Day 272, 29 Sep 2017: Premium Friday...

Day 272: ...premium seminar time

It is not really working, this idea of the government's...earlier this year, they introduced this 'premium Friday' idea, hoping bosses would give the workers an early mark and they in turn would go and stimulate the economy by shouting a round of drinks, or shopping, or somesuch.

It doesn't work at the uni. Classes continue to the end of the day on Friday and for people like me, Friday evening seems to be a popular time for seminars...

...and that's where I went. Off to the district quite close to Parliament House so I thought I might see a few people gathered for the weekly protests against the government. 

All outnumbered these days by police and guards and their fearsome looking trucks and vans. 

It never used to be like this.

So the whole point has been to build a castle?

Looking down on the quad

Up to the seminar

Halfway there...

But the seminar was interesting, a discussion about some of the philosophy underlying the Trump presidency...yes, indeed. 

I almost needed a drink.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 4.24pm, 5.24pm, 5.28pm; 29 September 2017]

Day 271, 28 Sep 2017: It's on...

Day 271: ...but I'll control myself

We are headed for an election here,  in Japan, where I make my bread and butter looking at, examining, analysing, explaining these things. And interesting times too. The woman who is one of the main subjects of my grant application is firing up the old guard of her former party, well, just as you would expect. 

It is going to be pretty busy over the next few weeks, I've already had one interview today for the ABC and it will be necessary to work the content of my classes (some of them) on the run as the day to day machinations play out. 

I love it. 

I do not know why, please don't ask.

Yet, the view out the window was one of suitable calm...

Reflecting

Still

Ripple

Cloud : ripples

Sometimes it was hard to tell which was the water and which was the sky. The next few weeks might be like that, a bit topsy-turvy...*

*actual political content will be restricted to the other blog

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 12.53pm-12.58pm, 1.12pm; 28 September 2017] 

Day 270, 27 Sep 2017: The Goldilocks option...

Day 270: ...things can be 'just right'

After yesterday's main show, Wednesday is time for a slight change of pace, of sorts. Officially, it is what we in the academy refer to as a 'research' day, but in reality, during the semester, it is usually 'catch up with yesterday, prepare for tomorrow' day. 

It was like that today. The deadline is looming for research grant applications, the big national ones, not unlike the ARCs for those of you in Australia and so a little bit of consultation today with a colleague was the highlight. 

You know the feeling when you are almost nearly but not quite on the same page with a research project and you have to decide whether to proceed or cut it off at the beginning...

That. 

There might be a bit of a compromise though, down the track. 

First this way...

...watching...

...then that

 Goldilocks's three 

Maybe. It will be just right. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 1.32pm-1.33pm, 3.18pm; 27 September 2017] 

Day 269, 26 Sep 2017: Barely time to stop...

Day 269: ...to drink a coffee, let alone smell it

Stopping to smell the roses, or its modern equivalent, stopping to smell the coffee, is just not going to happen on the average Tuesday between now and December (*except next Tuesday which is a holiday). It is the busiest teaching day of the week with three 90 minute classes end-on-end with the short lunch break in between taken up with student consultation and classroom preparation. No complaints really, but I do like to take my classes a little more slowly when I can. 

One plus is getting into the office early and getting that quite different quality of light that comes through the window early in the morning...

Morning port

readying for the day

There's a bear in there..

...if you look closely

A little moon, a little rainbow, big wheel

We had the joy of an all staff seminar at the end of the day too, at which I finally managed to get a can of cold coffee...not exactly the kind of coffee made for smelling. 

Oh well, there is always tomorrow. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 8.15am, 8.22am, 3.33pm, 7.44pm; 26 September 2017] 

Day 268, 25 Sep 2017: Up in the clouds...

Day 268: ...sort of

Monday. New working week. New class preparation continues. Politics this semester will be interesting. The prime Minister is due to formally announce the dissolution of Parliament for a snap election next month. 

Now, I realise elections are my kind of bread and butter kind of reason for being more or less (the 'psephy' in the blog stands for psephologist after all; and as a teacher, having an election unfolding before our eyes in real time is just the sort of teaching material we live for...

But no. With very few exceptions, I am probably the only one who has been doing happy dances in the corridor and in the classrooms about this.

Oh well. I will choose strange hobbies. I suppose it is a matter of looking out there and seeing what interests you most.

Like the clouds. Today's clouds were just the sort of big, fluffy, cumulistic*-type of clouds that could draw your attention for hours... (*yes, made-up word)

Rest here...

...or here

...or perhaps here

Reflected cumulus

Steaming along

And that wall is down

...but they didn't. There is always more work to be done. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 1.22pm, 2.40pm, 5.00pm; 25 September 2017] 

Day 267, 24 Sep 2017: It is our right to protest...

Day 267: ...and protest we will

I could have headed out early to get to the beach, near the club house, to help with a beach clean up. I only found out about it late yesterday and it would mean a 7.00am departure to reach the beach in time. Perhaps if they'd held it in the afternoon...

Suffice to say, my 6.45am body told itself to rest a little longer, for this week classes are on and you return to the gym.

So, next option was to head off in the other direction on the local train line to explore a little town. Just because Sunday. 

And then, in my twitter timeline, notice of a gathering at Shinjuku Station for a demonstration against proposed changes to the Japanese Constitution. This is work. Off I went, for research purposes...

It was only a small group that gathered, but at one of the busiest train stations, they picked up a fair bit of passing traffic. 

A kind of multi-media presentation using traditional kami-shibai--a traditional storytelling device, acting, street theatre and singing. 

And a couple of demonstrations in passing--one related, about US bases on Okinawa, and another about raising the minimum wage--all in a day7s research really. 

Opposition to amendments

Running through the points

'Peace! We love Article 9'

The group's banner

A pause as the Okinawans pass through

Could be a dugong, an animal under threat in Okinawa

People of Okinawa don't believe the national government is listening, nor cares, about them

Another version of the script

Every protest needs its song

Now for the minimum wage protestors

Over work
I think we all feel that...

Closing comments
'Keep fighting the good fight'

We don't hear a lot about the demonstrations against the Abe Govt here in Japan. They vary in size, but not in passion, these people today really believe in what they're doing. It is important to listen. 


[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 3.35pm-4.42pm; 24 September 2017] 

Day 266, 23 Sep 2017: To work, perchance...

Day 266: ...to eat

I have oft remarked that the area where I work is a lot like South Bank back home in Brisbane. And the bonus is, there is always something going on. And this being my second year here means we are running into repeat events. Like last year, the Tokyo Food Festival has landed again for three days. 

Now I did have good reason to go to the office on a Saturday: a) I usually do; b) there is always work to do; c) I keep willing my manuscripts into publishable form; d) class reflection and forward prep; these are the usual reasons. 

There were other reasons today too food festival a colleague was attending an event at the nearby food festival convention centre so we caught up for food festival coffee. And, of course, checking out the food festival is always a good thing to do, help out the economy, discover new things, etc and so forth.

A Saitama mascot

Food for all

This: a Wakayama hot dog, smoked, with plum sauce

Behind the tents

Food in all directions, this way...

...and that

Much smoke

Actual peanut butter (Chiba)

Saturdays as work days. or work daze sometimes. One day it won't be the case...

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 2.55pm, 3.04pm, 6.11pm-6.49pm; 23 September 2017] 

Day 265, 22 Sep 2017: Blue one day...

Day 265: ...'wow' clouds the next

So the typhoon came and went earlier in the week, the blue skies were yesterday, so what explains today? Unexpected showers, that's what. And on a Friday. This is no way to invite the weekend over now is it.

Still, photographically-speaking, from my vantage point, there is rarely a dull moment. Like today.

Greys

Moving in

Layer upon layer

Fly through

That fence keeps coming down

And then the rain came

Even on the window

And look at that, 265 days down, that means just 100 left in this year, 2017. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 2.52pm-3.11pm; 22 September 2017]