Day 23, 23 Jan 2017: Counting down the week...

Day 23: ...almost at the finish line

With the exams done yesterday, today we turned our attention back to our present group of students. We are in the final week or so of classes (they formally finish next Tuesday...) and, just like back home, everyone is a bit tired, a bit ragged, and keen to have it all over. It has been a pretty solid academic year I have to say. 

We have the good fortune to be experiencing brilliant (albeit cold) weather at the moment and that first view out the office window each morning sets me right for just about anything. 

That morning sparkle

Traffic jam

Pressing on

Li'l yellow tugger

Cloud chasing

Monday is that longish day with two lectures spread over the morning into the afternoon, covering the lunch break. It makes for a long session. 

Today was the second last one. I won't know what to do with myself in a few days... 

No, wait, I take that back...there'll be a few things I'm sure. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 9.31am-10.15am, 2.56pm-2.59pm; 23 January 2017]

Day 22, 22 Jan 2017: It all comes down to this...

Day 22: ...entrance exams

Getting into university in Japan is considered one of the hardest things high school students will do. But once in...the learning and life skills are comparatively relaxed. 

But those exams. 

Today was the turn of those who want to enter my university to come and sit three one hour exams, ranging across English, maths, social sciences and science. It is akin, I guess to the NSW HSC public exam system, except you choose your uni, then take the exam. This is not the only exam some students will sit. And some take a couple of years or more, until they get to where they want. 

That's a whole other blog topic...

Today, however, a number of my colleagues and I were required on campus to supervise the exams. Which is how I spent my day. Three hour long exams, with breaks, from 10.30am-3.30pm. I really felt for the students. 

So there wasn't a lot to see through a lens lightly today, locked in invigilation as I was.

The early morning sparkles

It was a lovely clear day, outside

And as the sun began to set...

There were some lovely shades of light

And the wheel turned

And the sun set at the end of the corridor

But there was some light, amongst the dark, and hopefully, that's how the students came away from the session today, full of light and praise. I look forward to seeing them in a classroom in the near future. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 9.12am, 4.00pm-4.26pm; 22 January 2017]

Day 21, 21 Jan 2017: Knocked out by the nocturnal...

Day 21: ...almost

It was a long day into the night; or a hard day's night, or some such. If I was going to pay due attention to the incoming 'leader of the free world', it was a case of being awake at about 2am, Saturday early morning. I also had a 3am date with my New York reading group, via the internet, reading Arendt's Origins of Totalitarianism. There is a link there...

I opted to make my main focus the reading group, the other we could catch up with later. 

It meant that my best-laid plans to get out today (for tomorrow I have a full day at work; more of that anon), were kind of depleted by about midday. 

So today, dear reader, I have been a bit slack, but in the interests of introducing a little bit of Japanese sports/culture, I have a few pics of the second last day of the sumo tournament. 

Now I wasn't there, exactly, I was in front of the TV, taking photos off the screen (NHK, the national broadcaster). It is sort of borderline in terms of this project, I guess...

First moves

A grapple

A throw and a win

Strength

Kisenosato, on the verge of his win

First moves

Grapple

The advantage of TV, the overhead view

Defeated. Previous champion Hakuho, has lost his chance to win here

An elated crowd

But today was quite significant. Even though the tournament finishes tomorrow, officially, the champion was decided today, a fellow I've followed for a little while, like the rest of Japan, awaiting his first win. Today was it. Tomorrow he is presented with his trophies. 

I have followed the sumo for many years now, from not understanding it at all initially, to appreciating the strength and tactics inherent in the sport. Th politics involved is quite intriguing. 

I must get myself to a tournament again one day, it is quite something to watch. Even when sleep-deprived. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 4.44pm-5.57pm; 21 January 2017]

Day 20, 20 Jan 2017: Monochrome Friday...

Day 20: ...on the way to an inauguration

Yes, today US time, tomorrow Japan time, the world faces its new known unknown. It will be an intriguing time for those of us in the profession of politics, the teaching thereof. I'm awaiting the inauguration speech to complete an article on what this might mean for this particular world. We have just a few hours now to wait. 

Meanwhile, we scored a very cold day while friends and family at home in Brisbane had quite the opposite. Indeed, walking out of the station this morning on the way to work, I almost needed an umbrella as the precipitation couldn't decide between being snow and rain--I think we got a bit of both. 

And the day remained pretty bleak for the rest of time. 

Sometimes these big boats turn on a tight circle

Barely visible

Chugging along

Racing back 

That's not a political comment, by the way. It is just the way of the weather.

As we wait. To see what the 'morrow brings.

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 1.28pm-2.40pm; 20 January 2017]

Day 19, 19 Jan 2017: Light bulb moments...

Day 19: ...inside and out

The semester is drawing to a close. We begin to reflect on what we've achieved this semester, this past academic year. I just say, I'm suddenly feeling the enormity of what I've done in the last 10 months--packed up, moved countries, written several new courses all delivered in Japanese. I haven't really had time to pause and reflect I suppose. 

It is down to the last couple of classes now too for my seminar group, the group of second year students, about to advance to third year, with whom I will carry over a key mentoring role until they graduate in a couple of years time. 

That is some responsibility. And today, to their credit, we seemed to have hit that 'light bulb' moment that I so enjoy with teaching--they seem to have finally become quite comfortable in each others presence and are starting to explore, challenge and think about each others views and how they agree and or disagree with each other. 

It is rewarding. 

A bit of light bulb changing was going on outside today too as the port and surrounds went about its business. 

So that's how it is done...

Natural light, artificial light

And the bridge

Just the one passenger

End of day-light

And a nice bit of colour to finish off the daylight, just prior to another staff meeting...another place for pausing, reflecting and, well, it was a staff meeting. Perhaps the less said the better. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 12.51pm-12.52, 4.24pm; 19 January 2017]

Day 18, 18 Jan 2017: It's all hot air...

Day 18: ...and then some

Hmm, where did the day go? Some days, the days without classes seem to go much faster, or seem much busier, than those with classes. I don't know why that would be. 

A busy day for others too by the looks with the obligatory balloons heading up into the atmosphere from the wedding place down below. 

Photographically, they are fun to try and capture against the sky...environmentally, I'm sure they are a terrible hazard in the making...not to mention we are but a flight path away from Haneda Airport, planes come and go constantly. 

Up and away...

...for better or worse

Meanwhile, out on the port, some boaties got themselves in on a bit of a speed and wake challenge. 

Last one out is...last

Bringing home the bacon

I'm sure the events were not related. But then, maybe they were. 

Such was the day. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 1.41pm, 1.54pm, 3.49pm; 18 January 2017] 

Day 17, 17 Jan 2017: Time to take a little time out...

Day 17: ...and observe the ... grasses

...amongst other things. 

My university has strong Buddhist affiliations. Although we are not required to be Buddhist in belief, I guess we are expected to have some sympathy with the Buddhist outlook on life. 

I don't have a problem with that. Indeed, each Tuesday we have an opportunity to gather in one of the larger lecture theatres and listen to a colleague offer their views on life and research...with a nod to the Buddhist deities. Today was the last such session for this academic year. It has been a nice 25 minutes each week to take some time out from the schedule and listen and reflect and contemplate. 

After today's session, I decided to extend the contemplative moments and continue on to one of the nearby parks just for a stroll and to see what I could see. 

There was a lot of dried wintery grass...

A few moments contemplation

Hide and seeking the wheel

The water museum

Red arrows<-->cable

Through the rushes

Reaching up 

Catching the sun

Dry as...

Feeding

Not so hiding wheel

Under the water 

Signs of times past

Painter-reflected

Someone's clover chain

And the park, from the office (and if you look closely, you can see the painter)

...a painter and ...

...for those following at home, the ducks continued to float along on their preferred patch of the the port. That's more than a week now. They've certainly been taking some time out. 

A nice stroll.  I must do it more often. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 12.19pm, 12.57pm-1.32pm; 17 January 2017]