Phew!

I have finally had official confirmation that I still have a job, which means that I can still afford to go to Japan next year!!!

Yatta!

Yuki, you'd better start stocking up on some extra tea bags now...

;D

Happy Birthday!

Today is the 50th anniversary of the fish finger!

It was on this momentous day in 1955 that the very first fish fingers went on sale…

Exciting huh!??

:D

See Ya!

Due to a change in circumstances (my company becoming even bigger money grabbing capitalist b*stards than they were previously) my department will be undergoing some 'reorganisation' over the next few months, which will result in a lot of work being 'outsourced' overseas…

Looks like I could be in for a change of career…

Anyone on the look out for a software tester with 6 and a half years experience ?

:D

Ohayo Gozaimasu!

What I've been listening to:

Supernature - Goldfrapp

First Generation: Second Edition - Sigue Sigue Sputnik

Waiting For The Sirens' Call - New Order

Madam Butterfly - Maria Callas

Talk Japanese CD - BBC


What I've been looking at:

Yukis' online photo album

The easiest way to get to Sapporo

Anyone for a sausage?

I was sent this interesting picture yesterday and I thought that it fitted quite well into the whole 'aliental' concept.

(thanks to Troy for the picture!)

Apparently this is an illustration from a book entitled "Ume No Chiri" (Dust of Apricot) published in 1844. It describes how the crew of a foreign ship witnessed this strange object (now believed to be an alien spacecraft) at Haratonohama in Hitachi no Kuni, Japan in 1803. According to the explanation in the drawing, the outer shell was made of iron and glass, and the strange letters shown on the right hand side of the picture were seen inside the ship.

Either that or it's a very ornate barbecue...

:D

Itchy Knee!

Tadaima!

As usual my holiday is over and I failed to get even a fraction of the list of 'stuff' that I wanted to do completed.

Bah :(

I should of guessed though how the rest of my holiday was going to turn out from the events of the Friday before…

To try and cut a long story short…

I was on my way into work, and as the sun is quite low in the sky at this time of year, I was having a bit of trouble with the glare while standing at the bus stop.

The bus arrives, I get on and sit down. It's then I notice the funny distorted vision thing happening in my left eye. It didn't worry me at first because I just assumed that it would take a few minutes for my eyes to adjust, but a few minutes later and with it getting noticeably worse, I get off the bus and head for home…that's when I start to panic ( Aaarrrggghhh!!! My eye!!! etc)

By the time I get home my vision has returned to normal. About an hour later though it happens again, but this time not so severe.

Wanting to get it checked out straight away, I manage by some minor miracle to get an appointment with my G.P. for the same morning (Gasp! Shock! etc)

I'm called in and I'm given the quickest check up I've ever had (a light shone in both eyes to check that the pupils react as they should - that was it!) followed by the doctor telling me "Hmmm, can't really tell what it was that caused it, might just be a one off incident. If it happens again make an appointment with the optician. Just best to keep your eye on it for the moment"

Keep my eye on it!!!??? Thanks doc, great advice…O_o

I head back home, just finish making a cup of tea and suddenly get the most painful headache that I've experienced in a long time…OUCH!

Think I've just become the newest member of the migraine club. Lucky me.

Anyway, because of that I was slightly wary of doing anything that might set off another one (that's my excuse for not doing as much artwork as I should of done, although to be honest I wasn't really in the right frame of mind to do any painting anyway)

I did manage though to make a bit of progress with learning Japanese. I'm beginning to remember some of the important phrases that I will probably use when I visit Sapporo.

"yoymashta"
(a general warning to people that within the next 10 minutes I'm liable to: walk into walls, trip up on completely flat floor surfaces and talk nonsense until someone tells me to shut up)

"yopparatta"
(A specific warning to people that I'm definitely going to: walk into walls, trip up on completely flat floor surfaces and talk nonsense until someone tells me to shut up)

"kibun ga waruides" (most likely to be heard later on in the evening and soon followed by)

"toire wa dokodesuka" (I'll leave it at that)

Also, with a bit of help the week before (thanks Nao!) I can now remember how to count up to ten with relative ease (and up to fifty with a bit of effort!)

Still slightly confused by the use of 'yon' and 'nana' instead of 'shi' and 'shichi' though...

Hmmm...