Day 120/365: Some days are garbage...

...we need to do something about it

Today was the 'carry-over' public holiday for yesterday's public holiday, since it fell on a Sunday. It is almost as if Japan has copied the Great Australian Long Weekend...nonetheless, it was a work day for us, although I had no classes, and miraculously, no meetings. Not one. I think that's my first 'free' day this month. Oh wait, it is the last day of the month...

I thought I would use the opportunity to make a trip to the post office to resume my planned afternoon walk. Which I did. Except...I forgot about the public holiday aspect and yes, the PO was having none of this working business. Oh well, I'll have to go tomorrow. Another walk...

I took the longish way back to the office, down by the river, the bit where it meets the port. I sometimes see some birds down that way, maybe a fish, but not today...a stark reminder of just how rubbish we can be when it comes to caring for our planet. Rather unpleasant. 

Bags

Bag as a baseball

Bottles, noodle packs, sludge

Coffee can among the leaves

ON the edge

A bit of a blowy day

Long time no see

The blossoms turned into little cherries

Seeing the waterways polluted like this just makes me try that much harder to be careful with what I consume and how I consume it. And now with the warmer weather coming on, it is definitely time for the refillable water bottle. It is a little heavy in the bag, but really, I can't drink out of another plastic bottle after today. 

[Camera : Canon M5, 3.57pm-4.08pm; 30 April 2018] 

Day 119/365: Giving peace another chance...

...another walk in the park

A public holiday in Japan today, 29 April. Originally it was for the Showa Emperor's birthday during his reign of some 63 and a bit years. When he died in 1989, rather than give up the holiday, the government renamed it Midori no Hi, green day, in recognition of his appreciation of sciences and the environment (yes, I know). 

Through various permutations and a desire to keep the run of holidays known as Golden Week, it is now Showa Day. 

Unrelated however, the local peace activists held a rally, followed by a march through the streets, at the Peace Park. We've been here before dear reader. There was a bit a of peace festival here six months ago. Today was very much about Article 9 and preserving the Constitution. It is always interesting to get along to these events...for research purposes of course.

Drums to signal the start of proceedings

Banners

And the choir led the singing

Speakers included young lawyers...

Mothers...

NO to war 

Letters of peace

Walking from Hokkaido in the north, to Tokyo, for peace

Former member of the lower house, Ikeuchi Saori of the Japan Communist Party

Maeda, a former candidate

Preparing to march

More banners

Under cover

The peace memorial (similar to Hiroshima)

Local duck

Girl with a dragonfly

And off, marching

After a couple of years of a sense of inevitability about changes to the Constitution, we seem to be stalling the shift and while it is still a long way from being settled, maybe the change won't be quite so hasty now. 

Well done to all who participated on one of the hottest days this spring.

[Camera : Canon M5, 1.54pm-3.20pm; 29 April 2018] 

Day 118/365: In search of water...

...well, a water wheel at least

We have a little park down the way, the 'Suisha Koen', the water wheel (or water mill) park. It is a little bit of history in the neighbourhood with an old-school working water wheel, an old kiln and a few other artefacts from another time. 

In my quest to master the 'M' dial on the M5, I thought, this afternoon, capturing the water turning might be a good challenge. 

There was clarinet rehearsal today so I didn't take the cam with me (lugging the clarinet case is sufficient baggage) so when I got home, I went off to the park...

A sign, in the afternoon light

Puff

The old kiln

Some water

Strolling through the gardens

Through the lantern

Bubbler

Stagnant

Garden monument

Retiring for the evening

Still partying...

...alas, fifteen minutes late for the main show. The gates closed at 4.30pm. Oh well, I can go another day. 

[Camera : Canon M5, 4.40pm-4.55pm; 28 April 2018] 

Day 117/365: From west to east...

...again

I know that when I just get used to this west to east Friday morning run, it is going to be over. So I shan't complain (much). Our department's trial this semester to teach the first years out in the western campus is going ... swimmingly...

The teaching itself is not such an issue, nor is the getting out west in time for the 9.00am start, it is the squeeze in between to take in a 68 minute commute between the two campuses and make it back in time for prep for two classes in the afternoon at Ariake, starting at 1.00pm. Look, we make it, but it is a push. But as a colleague mentioned today, at least it is just the one term, just eight weeks (and counting). 

That aside, it is also time to flick the switch on the M5. All week, I've been taking the pics on the fruit phone, simply for convenience. The M5 goes everywhere I go but sometimes just doesn't see the light of day...

I've also been 'cheating' a bit, and kept the dial on A for 'auto'. Time to flick the switch to M for manual...

Needs a fragrance button, by the bus stop

Late daylight

Cranes at work

Training

Accidental shutter pic

Training, in motion

...which I did for a few shots this eve. Yes, different. Time to get back in the swing of this photography thing. 

[Camera : iPhone6s, 6.54am, Canon M5, 5.55pm-6.00pm; 27 April 2018] 

Day 116/365: How does your garden grow?

...the books are getting bigger

Groundhog day today. Another of those days where, early on in the day, I pictured myself getting out for that afternoon stroll, around 4.30pm, after class finished. 

Good thing I have an imagination. 

Here I was again, late in the evening, still in the office...still. But it was just this week that I noticed, two and a bit years into this 'new' job, and suddenly books have appeared. Well, not really, of course I have purchased them along the way but when you buy just one or two here and there, you don't really notice how they begin to pile up...like garden beds, plants popping up all of a sudden. 

Media and demonstrations

A bit of philosophy

Peace and security

Monthly commentaries

The promise of a community

Not books

I'm running out of shelf space already. What comes next?

[Camera : iPhone6s, 9.02pm-9.03pm; 26 April 2018] 

Day 115/365: Looking lightly...

...on a rainy day

When you spend, say, ten hours indoors and maybe two and a half outside commuting, you would think that the rain might consider the 10:2.5 ratio going on here. And I suppose it does. It nearly always chooses the 2.5 side of the equation, and more often than not, that very narrow part of the 2.5 which involves dashing from one station to the next, sans umbrella. 

Clever stuff that rain. 

At least it gives me time to get some pleasing photographic effects in between...

Puddles

Burst

Undercover

Translucent

Mirrored

Cammy

Clearing

Got to take some positives when on the losing side of the equation. 

[Camera : iPhone6s, 12.14pm-12.19pm, 2.00pm; 25 April 2018]