Back to bidness

Hey y'all.  I've been back to work for a few weeks now, and although it has been totally fine, I'm kind of feeling the "second semester blues" kicking in.  I have the same students as last term, they have all figured out that I'm doing the same basic kinds of classes as last term ... if they had any hopes for some exciting new changes, those hopes have been dashed!

I've been quite busy writing papers, one for the university's journal, and one for my course.  I managed to get them both done, but neither one is particularly great. (Why am I announcing that publicly?!)  I did what I could, but the timing kind of meant that I had to submit the one, and then rush through the next one.  Ahh, well.  Next time, I'm sure I won't procrastinate!
For my birthday, I got a nice new book bag.  My old bag had served me well for about 8 years or so, but the handles and strap were starting to get frayed and fall apart. The metal parts were corroded and squeaked horribly whenever I carried anything heavy (like, say, books).  So I was happy to get a new one ... but it also meant throwing out the old one.  I'm hopeless at getting rid of things, especially personal items.  ("But ... but ... it's still usable!!  The zippers all work and everything!")  I'm compromising by publishing one last photo of Bookie before he goes to his final resting place...

Godspeed, Bookie.  You served me well, old buddy.  Now it's time for a rest.  You earned it!

 

(Now THAT is some riveting content, isn't it??  A photo of my dirty old book bag?)

On to more exciting topics: the weather!  Actually, it's been so awesome lately; we are really into the gorgeous fall weather that I love so much.  It's sunny and nice most days ... wish it could always be like this.  Fall is typhoon season in Japan, so storms are pretty common, but when it's not stormy, it's great.

I'm looking forward to going on a little trip to Oita mid-October, and I also found out today that I have a week off in November, so hopefully I'll be able to put together another little trip somewhere in Japan or I could live dangerously and go to China or something ...  I'm just in the process of deciding where I should go. On one hand, I want to go somewhere I've never been, but my personality being what it is, I almost prefer to revisit someplace I went before but haven't been in a while.  (That's like how I prefer to re-read my favourite books, or re-watch movies I like ... I think I enjoy that familiarity, the knowledge of what to expect!)

Not much else to report.  Business as usual, pretty much!  Talk to you soon.