Day 151/365: Some days, it can't be beaten...

...the light, that is, through a lens, that is

So no meetings but, all the classes. Technically, I had a bit more time (laugh here) on my hands so technically and theoretically, I probably was going to get out in the late afternoon, for some fresh air and a stroll. 

And I almost did. But for that one thing that will stop an amateur picster in their tracks, or grab their camera--light. A very particular light that hit the office about 6.40pm (yes, OK, late for a walk). 

The light on the portside of the building suggested a pretty spectacular sunset on the other side of the building...so off I went...

Can't beat that, 1 & 2

....and you can't improve on that little play of light on glass, through a lens, lightly, or darkly. 

It is June tomorrow. I would like the person who took three months out of the first 'half' of the year, to return them please. Thank you. 

[Camera : iPhone8, 6.41pm; 31 May 2018] 

Day 150/365: It was a bit of a rush...

...yet another round of reviews

Take Tuesday, rinse, repeat but just make it three hours earlier. Another day at the western campus for the same length of time, just a good few hours earlier. 

That means particularly crowded rush-hour trains...

Trains, buses, brick walls--the day in a nutshell, or a pic at least

In the quad, western campus

Drips, drops

And then...

...the rain

...and who knows what at the other end of the day. So off I went, more meetings, more questions, more discussions. 

It remains very interesting, very insightful. Despite the hours, I'm feeling very fortune, still. (Ask me again in three weeks time when this is done...)

[Camera : iPhone8, 7.00am, 12.33pm, 5.00pm; 30 May 2018] (And no, I don't know how I managed two pics on the hour ten hours apart.)

Day 149/365: Let's try for at least two pics today...

...which we kind of managed

So for the next few weeks, members of the exec will be locked down in an additional set of meetings, between two campuses, as we listen to and review this year's aims and ambitions of each and every department in the university. My responsibility is the 'internationalisation section...what does each department aspire to do, what is possible, what can happen?

It is an interesting role. Early days of course, but it feels like an honour to be in the position and listen to colleagues and their ideas. 

Today was based at the western campus, with a dash to the east in the afternoon, but not before a few chance pics at the waterway (creek-like ex-river) that flows past the uni entrance. 

Still there

A mix

Hydrangeas

Yellow

Trickling

I always like to check on the koi, the carp. Just to make sure they are there. Each time. 

[Camera : iPhone8, 2.49pm-2.52pm; 29 May 2018] 

Day 148/365: When two birds on the wire...

...mean, er, none in the bush?

I had every reason to think today was going to be an ordinary sort of day as far as photo ops go. By ordinary, I mean, ordinary, nothing out of the usual. Take a pic here, take a pic there-type of day. There was to be just the one exec meeting today after all, plenty of time for a stroll later...

Above the bus stop

...yeah, nah, no such luck. So it happened that the one and only pic today was the two pigeons acting like crochets on the high wire...should have filmed it and transposed it for bass clarinet, might have been an interesting tune. 

Talking about killing birds in the bush with a stone or whatever. 

We might resume normal programming tomorrow. 

Oh, but wait...(until tomorrow)

[Camera : iPhone8, 8.45am, 28 May 2018] 

Day 147/365: It is work, really...

...the other side of academic work

So if yesterday's glimpse of academic work was a little underwhelming, today's glimpse is the almost diametrically opposed. I say almost because one wouldn't expect to go to Yokohama, a port town, for a surf festival...there are no waves. 

But, in the interests of my research project on documenting the history of Japanese surfing...well, I had to go. I wanted to go particularly for a short documentary that was being shown as part of a series of surf movies and also to get a sense, in that academic-observational way, of who is attending these sorts of festivals. 

Yokohama port

The red brick warehouses

Ishikawa Kenta, filmmaker

Tom Wegener boards, via Noosa

The line-up

Takaya, filmaker

Artist live perfomance

Mio, who sang the theme song

Back to the fest

Do it yourself

Yokohama gardens

Late afternoon sun

The red brick warehouses

Let's dance

Hydrangeas

Busy as a ...

At the end of a long day in the office

It might have been a long way, (about two hours each way) to watch a 30 minute documentary on one student's surfing odyssey, but it did include footage of surfing on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts as well as Kamakura and Shonan, where I like to go...and the film reveres wooden surfboards, and I've just received a message that the one I ordered will be arriving soon...very soon. 

That is very exciting. Makes a Sunday day of 'work' worth it.

[Camera : iPhone8, Canon EOS M5, 3.05pm-5.52pm, 8.02pm; 27 May 2018] 

Day 146/365: If it is Saturday it must mean...

...the office

It has been a few Saturdays since I've come into the office what with important things like clarinet rehearsals to attend. I try not to make a habit of it, given I spend about 10-11 hours a day there during the week, but sometimes it is just a necessary. 

It might be to catch up on admin work or prepare for an upcoming conference paper (which is soon). 

So that was today. Back in the usual spot, perched ten floors up, catching up on emails and allocating times for a new series of meetings coming up over the next few weeks...

A feather, waiting at the bus stop

Port also busy on Saturday

Going up

Intense pink

...ah, the life of an academic, sooo exciting.

[Camera : iPhone8, 12.50pm, 2.45pm, 5.55pm, 6.52pm; 26 May 2018] 

Day 145/365: That long day, Friday...

...on yer bike

it doesn't seem like a week since we were last here, this early start, late finish, long day that is the Friday of term one. Up at 5.00am, out to the western suburbs campus, teach, dash to the bus, the train, fingers crossed there are no hold-ups (yes, it does happen on Tokyo's famed transport system), reach the eastern suburbs campus, grab lunch (or something imitating it), prepare classes and go at it again until 4.10pm. 

And then there were a couple of meetings after that. 

When term one ends in a couple of weeks time, it will just be a 'normal' Friday, without the rush across town, fingers crossed. 

A most intriguing wall of memorabilia

Steel blue

Abandoned 1

Over it

In the shadows

Until then...

[Camera : iPhone8, 8.22am, 7.41pm-7.55pm; 25 May 2018] 

Day 144/365: Sometimes it is just the little things...

...as part of the big picture

Sometimes it is just a flower or a beetle that will catch my eye, and 'snap', I take a pic. No particular reason, it was just there. It takes this project back to first principles for me too. 

And so it was today, as I walked to the bus stop, and then from the station to the office. Then an early departure from the office to attend a seminar at a research institute...

Turned up for work

A touch of purple

Skimming clouds

City canal with egret

The hydrangeas are on the way

Slightly more purple

Hatoyama garden feature

Hatoyama garden feature 2

I arrived with just enough time to have a quick look at the gardens. It is the family home of two former prime ministers and is now used as the base for this research institute as well as being open to the general public. I keep meaning to come along at another time to take in more of the building and the gardens, one day, when I'm not rushing to get from class to class and then to the seminar. 

[Camera : iPhone8, 8.37am, 10.11am, 11.06am, 12.26pm, 5.01pm-5.17pm; 24 May 2018]