I find it astonishing (and at times disturbing!) how much detail my camera lens can pick up. My hand doesn’t look so wrinkly to the naked eye, but an adjustment of the levels in the raw file shows the prints and lines in all their glory. I guess this is where photography is going now, especially with the advent of Nikon’s incredible D3.

Got back into the daily exercise thing today. Up at 6.30am, out to the park to jog (and, er, take photos of the blossom. and my hand. that was a spur of the moment thing).

Then, at nine I took part in presenting for a CILASS IBL cafe (IBL = Inquiry based learning), a weekly event open to staff and students in which we present / discuss IBL related topics. Today we focused upon ‘Being a CILASS Student Ambassador and Employability’. I won’t say more about it here as I’ll be blogging about it on the SA Network blog …and I get paid to blog there! (I’ll link to it when it’s up). Really enjoyed that though. Lovely people I work with, wonderful start to the day.

Following that I popped along to the SEAS office having been summoned by email – they had a bottle of wine for me (and a timesheet!) to fill in following this year’s open days, bless them. They are so kind. Only two weeks until a core member of the family leaves – I wonder how that will effect things?

Next it was on to a writing class, then translating literature from the 1950s. I am absolutely terrible at this, and for my last piece of coursework got my first ever 2:2 – with some of the categories seeing me down as far as a third. Whilst I enjoy reading the stories, when it comes to precise translation I am hopeless. The thing is, whist we have always had precise translation classes (at which I have always done pretty poorly) the general rule in everyday life is to go for the general meaning – and that’s what I do. I think that’s what we all do as humans really when we are unable to catch it all: we listen for familiarities and then fill in the blanks with our context-based knowledge. But you can’t do that with precise translation. Whilst I was shocked when I got my feedback, I’m not upset about it at all. I just accept that this is not my strong point, appreciate that I have to try better next time, and move on (and not get a job which requires precise translations of 1950s Japanese novels).

Following that I went up to the healthfood shop Beanies to pick up my organic vegee box. I was in for a bit of a surprise there too as when I told the lady behind the counter my name so she could tick my box off, she said,

Oh, I know your name! My daughter was doing some research for something and found your blog. She told me about it as you’d mentioned us – and when I had a look I saw it was you!”

Back down the road and I discovered I’d accidentally kept hold of a key for some of the classrooms in the IC. I was a little bemused by this, why I had I done that? It all became clear when I got back to CILASS though, as Dr. N who runs the Case Studies project I participated in had just finished a meeting, and there was a fair bit of lovely italian food left over. Well, it would have been a shame to let it go to waste..!

Plate loaded down with the finest cheeses, pasta and pizza, I returned to a room in the bowels of the Octagon Centre where Japan soc was to meet a couple of hours later. No sooner had I sat down than *Twinkle* skyped me, and we talked, and talked.

It is such a treat to talk with her, makes me so happy. What I especially like is the way in which many conversations (like today’s) become learning experiences. We really are pushing one another, each using our personal strengths to challenge one another’s thinking. Makes it all so real, engaging, fun …and makes me feel that I can’t wait to be back together with her! 17th July is the day. Heathrow the place. She’s so good for me; good job she’s not seen through me yet…

Anyway, I’ve just realised that I’ve not written those two mini-japanese essays that are due in last week. I was going to write them this evening, but got carried away preparing the budget and other documents for Japan society – we hand over next week, and that will be it – my three years with them over 🙁

It’s been great though, what a fantastic learning experience. Thank you Japan soc.

so, er, yes, must sleep.

night night xxx