Been a good week.

Progress with a number of projects (CILASS, publishing company, dissertation) thanks to the fact that I finally gave up resisting actually making a start. It’s a wonder I haven’t learnt yet that the bad feelings associated with not doing something can be completely alleviated by doing it. Oh yeah, real rocket science around here.

I understand that I did moderately well in my exams, thus am inclined to think that overall I got about 65% for last semester. This means that in overall degree terms, I’m now on about 67%, three percentage points off the magical 70 of the world of Firsts which I was aiming for when I started back in 2004. I’ll be happy with a 2:1, partly because one’s result is almost irrelevant in the real world, and partly because I feel that I have achieved a great deal outside of the classroom.

Movement on the wedding front too as we start to think in terms of numbers. It’s a real tough one. Initially we were thinking that we would like to have a big do, inviting everyone and everyone. But, having thought about it a bit more, we’ve started to feel that perhaps it would be better to keep it small and emphasise family. With *Twinkle* being Japanese there are factors we need to take into account that non-international couples don’t have to take into account to such a great extent – such as balance.

Ran a Mac training session the other night. It went well, and I enjoyed it a great deal. Satisfied clients too. However, I learnt an important lesson: if one is planning to introduce a whole batch of new tools to users to enable them to work more efficiently and effectively, allow sufficient time. As it was, with three macs undergoing transformation we called a halt to proceedings after about three hours – I then stayed up until 5am to fine tune the new apps!

In the laundry this morning I noticed a flyer offering a free introductory meditation course. Starts tomorrow morning for three weeks.

Having basically decided to go, I thought I’d find out a little more about the organisation advertising the session.

According to the fountain of knowledge, it turns out they’re a “Millenarianist New Religious Movement” from India, who have enjoyed considerable recognition for the pro-peace work that they do; “it was granted International Peace Messenger Initiative status by the U.N.for the Global Co-operation for a Better World campaign”

My enthusiasm started to wane however when I read about their beliefs. Whilst the movement “projects itself as a vehicle for spiritual teaching rather than a religion” it does sound a little dogmatic in its teachings. The idea that there is an external God who teaches them directly and exclusively does not sit well with me, nor does the ban of sex both outside or inside marriage! So, needless to say, I won’t be attending.

I continue to love that piece of getting-things-done software, Omnifocus. Even more so after I sent the creators a nice email (and offered to place a link on the Mumble), in response to which they sent me a free serial number- which usually retails at $70!

As some of you may have noticed, I’ve started Twittering. Twittering, the verb that describes the act of writing short descriptions of what I’m doing using a maximum of 140 characters (a.k.a. ‘Tweets’) and publishing them on Twitter.com, is basic a form of Micro-blogging (one step down from something like Tumblr, which I also use – mainly to keep a record of inspirational stuff I find on and offline). My tweets are also syndicated to Facebook (where they become my status, and Skype too. Oh, and of course they are displayed in the right hand coloum of The Daily Mumble as well.

I’ve also set up a Twitter account for The Daily Mumble, should anyone be so constipated they want TDM delivered straight to their mobile – what more could one ask for?! The address is twitter.com/thedailymumble

I wasn’t sure what I’d make of Twitter at first. I mean, with a blog, people generally come to you, unless they use RSS (which only a minority of Mumblers do), but with Twitter & Twitterific (a simple program for posting to twitter from your desktop), you’re broadcasting far and wide. A single text message from you phone or message from your desktop can reach hundreds (or thousands) of people in seconds. It’s a powerful, but also dangerous tool.

I’ve found it pretty addictive though, and I think Twitter is partly responsible for the drop in the frequency of my blog posts. With Twitter, I can get stuff out quickly and easily, relieving myself of this feeling that I need to share.

I don’t actually know anyone else on Twitter (apart from my old pals Leo & Merlin of course!), and come to think of it, I only know three people who regularly blog – two are in Japan, the third, Singapore. A few of my coursemates occasionally post, but it’s become increasingly rare for them to do so. Considering the size of the blogging community, I’m pretty surprised that I don’t know anyone else who likes to waffle as much as I do!

I have decided to make this coming week “Week of no procrastination” – a sincere effort to get a load of things on my list done. I could get stressed about all these deadlines – but remembering that in about 12 weeks none of it will really matter anymore makes me feel a lot more relaxed.

And scared. …Uni, over?

nighty night.