iPhone apps, Study, and Japanese TV

Ahh, what a cute Yamanote train. Taken and (poorly) tilt-shifted on the iPhone. Been a good day today. Finally updated www.iphoningjapan.com with a re-write of the Tokyo Metro app, now includes my take on using the Augmented Reality function. It’s very cool. For those of you who don’t know what augmented reality is – it’s […]

A week of important decisions and output

There is something about the corner of this 50-storey building that thrills me. It’s so sharp. So determined to cut through the air. So confident. You can’t help but admire an attitude like that. It’s the corner of a building bordering Hamarikyu Gardens, photos of which you’ll find below. But before we get into that, […]

How being able to speak Japanese has changed my life in Japan

I’ve been wanting to write this little post for some time. It’s not aimed at people who are perfectly happy not using Japanese whilst living in Japan (which I think is perfectly OK). It’s aimed at those considering studying Japanese. My hope is that it provides at least one person with a little inspiration. It’s […]

A new study set-up

My old study-setup I’m very much an advocate of taking action to change one’s surroundings should they not be conducive to feeling at ease. For example, a friend of mine has been having issues at work involving smoke from an adjoining (smoking) room filling her office, but rather than just complain about it she went […]

Into the recycle bin

Busy bee, spotted on the way back from the exam. 13 hours into freedom So, I spent much of the afternoon feeling somewhat lost, before deciding that what was called for was assertiveness. I need to move on. No point in lingering in some in-between state. It’s too easy to comfort oneself with the idea […]

Heading North, one last time

So this is it. I’m on the train for my last trip back to Sheffield. In seven weeks, it’ll all be over (that is, apart from one exam and my graduation). Just seven weeks. It’ll fly by. That’s kind of comforting, because I know that no matter how many things I have on my to […]

Bank Holiday stuff

Every time I come back to my parent’s house I make a point of a) eating mum’s home-made chocolate cake, and b) sorting through the stuff under my old bed to see what of my belongings can be given away. As time passes so it becomes easier to dispose of stuff, and it’s now reached […]

Coping

As fresh as a Greek daisy. One of the first ever flower-shots I took, back in 1996 I’m glad I don’t usually have a car. Two parking tickets, a blow-out, and now today a section of the front bumper missing after someone reversed into me in the car park. I really am glad that on […]