Liresius' Fandom Journal

Back from a lovely week in Perth, Australia. I took the students over and they seem pretty happy there, mostly. Caught up with family. Mum caught the Indian Pacific over. It was cold in Perth but warm in the sun. Beautiful blue skies. Mum and I stumbled on an All Male Voice choir performance in the Perth Town Hall the first night and we caught a 5 minute ferry to the other side of the Swan River to watch the city lights come on. I was impressed with both the modern skyline and the way the historic buildings have been kept in Perth - not torn down for the march of modernity. We visited Fremantle Port and the original prison, The Round House, based on Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon design. We also took in the Art Gallery and saw Cowboys and Aliens (terrible!).

After Mum went home, I rented a car for one day and went up to the Gravity Discovery Centre, which I had heard about on my radio podcast of The Science Show and Yanchep National Park, north of Perth. On the way back I drove down to the coastline of Joondalup - cold blue ocean and rocks. The people at the GDC were great and really got people involved in trying out all the science exhibits. I enjoyed Yanchep - I walked around the lake Wetlands Track, but even more, I loved getting behind the wheel of a car after so long and just driving! Also did lots of clothes shopping, so I feel good to have a supply of decent clothes for the next while. I have tomorrow to pack for Spain (and Marrakech), but am catching up on Torchwood, Dr Who and True Blood. I love TW ep 7! We are finally seeing a serious amount of Jack's past life (love the period chosen) and whoo whoo for the Angelo love!

Hey there f-list! I haven't posted in forever - or at least that's what it feels like. Work has been very busy, but I have been reading most of what's going on in your lives and keeping up with news, but not much commenting or fic reading, sad to say.

I have finished my sga_art_santa piece *is nervous* I am pleased with it but am the first to admit I suck at the conceptual side of art work.

I put up my Christmas tree last night. I went with the red apples, red and gold balls and colourful tropical fish this year! The blinking fairy lights look so pretty! Unfortunately, my camera is on the blink, so no pic! I sent off my present to Mum - she wanted colourful plastic paper clips from Japan and I sent some retro machine magnets and other sundry stationery things, which she might like (I hope!).

I went to see the American comedy play "The Boys Next Door" on Sunday, which was quite good, although I felt like I couldn't laugh at their antics in the first act - a bit un-pc, but in the second half I felt like I "knew" them better and so could chuckle more honestly - in a kind of affectionate way. I think a lot of people felt the same. Other plays I have seen recently are The Vagina Monologues (wonderful! - a friend of mine from work played in it) and Romeo and Juliet. The latter was half in English (Romeo's side) and half in Japanese (Juliet's) set in the Meiji era, but I just didn't enjoy it all that much. Romeo was an unlikeable dork, whose diction was at times inarticulate and Juliet's head kept bobbing like one of those bobble dolls, which really distracted me. I liked seeing it In-the-Round though.

( wherein I opine about TV )

Well, I haven't yet really said anything about the SGA news, but like everyone, I'm upset! I can't say devastated, because I was expecting it, in all honesty but nevertheless, it's had me quite down and feeling rather insecure. It feels like I've had warning that a supporting structure is going to be removed out from under my feet and I'm really sad about the prospect of missing The Hew and JoeF and their snarky, gay-lurve, especially given the brilliant performance of DH in The Shrine (and Kate and everyone else). I thought that ep was amazing! But I have a lot of faith that the fandom will continue for a bit longer and that's a huge comfort to me right now.

It's pissing down right now! And there's lots of thunder and lightning - this summer has had unprecendented thunder and lightning. I love it so much, when nature makes her presence felt, even if it scares the hell out of me (that's probably half the attraction), when it cracks right outside!

In other news - I got my TV low-board and cabinet (the latter for DVDs and CDs) to match. It looks lovely. Also got the dining table and 4 chairs in the same wood, with black leather covered seats, and I LOVE having a decent place to sit while I prepare work stuff! I'm really happy that's all arrived and I'm very pleased with it as it's beautifully, (hand) crafted stuff! I'm only sorry I can't show you pics as my camera keeps giving me a memory card error-message and I tried THREE cards! Yikes! Looks like I'm in the market for a new camera some time soon.

Now I just need another bookcase that will hold stacks of books. I think I'll get it from the same craftsmen. I want it to match and it smells lovely all woody and polish-y!

Got my gaijin card updated with my new visa (to 2010) at City Hall - good to get that out of the way ..

Had an Italian lunch set in Takashimaya Dept store. Yum! The pasta had a creamy tomato sauce but was ever so delicately a curry flavour too. Didn't think they could pull it off, but they did!

Then lucked in on an underwear/bra sale - bought three Wacoal bras @3000 en each - they usually cost 7-8000, so that was full of \o/. I now have full brassiere confidence for my busy work year ahead *g*

I also bought some khaki work trousers/pants for 13 000 en at another store the day before yesterday, so I feel pretty set, although I'd like to get some more new and longer summer skirts and some non-iron shirts too.

Oh, I'm a soft touch with shoes ...and very bad for wearing them inside my J apartment, but hey, they are a brand new key, so I'm snuggling my teensy feet into them ... I'm totally in love with them and damn the cost!
( 36 000 yen )

Snurched from bluespirit_star

Everyone has things they blog about. Everyone has things they don’t blog about. Challenge me out of my comfort zone by telling me something I don’t blog about, but you’d like to hear about, and I’ll comment on it. Ask for anything: latest movie watched, last book read, political leanings, thoughts on tv, favorite type of underwear, stories I'm working on, travel, etc.

I just picked up a couple of extra conversation classes at the same university that I got a full day's work at starting in April - so that means six classes (1 1/2 days) at that university. Even better the two new classes are in the afternoon, so I can have a late rise mid-week, on Wednesdays. So I have work every weekday from April now as well as Saturday. I might decide to quit my Saturday eikaiwa job since the pay is not so good anyway. I'll keep it for a bit though and see how I cope. At least Wednesdays and Fridays are half days. Whee! Money! I'm excited about the computer classes on Tuesdays too, wherein I can do blogging and group work around PowerPoint ... oh, and the taboos discussion classes on Thursdays - that should be interesting. Nice change from the verb "to be". *g*

In other news, I bicycled out to the big national tax place today and a nice lady helped me do it on the computer there. All done in about 45 minutes. Next off is my three yearly visa renewal, which has come around again.

I have been hibernating for the last 5 days, so not much chance of catching up on the flist. If you've posted anything fic-cy, art-y or otherwise important do let me know! Otherwise I've still got the secret santa fic set as a homepage for instant reading pleasure. I'm barely one third of the way through the list though.

Uh, it's been a Brit Classics Romantic Escapism kind of hibernate. I have only one day left of Holiday/Hibernation.
( my Jane Austen marathon )

I'm off tomorrow - for one day skiing on Saturday. I'll be home Sunday.

Photo meme gakked from berlinghoff79 , but I've altered the terms ...

Comment with ideas for three things you want me to photograph. It can be anything from the contents of my fridge (eek!) to the view from my window (but ho ho no, not me! *g*).
I will take the photos, and then upload them for you to look at. One day. In the near future. I think. Remember, I'm in Japan ...

Yes, it was a lovely night! Lots of fun! Especially the dancing, which was all "my era" type music - 70s and 80s mostly. The food was pretty average though. I'd have to say that the nosh at our college's yearly event every June was better, but still it was quite fabulous with everyone dressing up, which doesn't happen at the college dinner.
( Read more... )

ETA: I'll send a pic via email to anyone interested.