Countdown

Geoff couldn't spot a predicative complement if it dressed like rose-coloured Twinkle and danced a one-man noh play entitled 'The Finer Points of Defining Predicative Complements'. He can take that C and... flipping well... eat it.

I know, I know, a pass is a respectable grade.

Just fuel to the fire to get me working harder on the rest of this semester. Second Language Acquisition is actually a delight, and what I'm learning is both kinda interesting and easy to remember, without being so easy as to feel underwhelming. Psycholinguistics is a touch on the tricky side; it's very 'psychology', something I had difficulty with in first year. Had a bit of a go on UNIX for the first time today, and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Still not wholly sure I see the point of typing code out when a click and a drag can be just as effective.

Japanese carries on as normal; nothing added and a few things left on the side of the path to be returned to at zero hour. Got my first big bit of work back tomorrow, the Japanese-English Translation assignment, as well as a speaking exam on interview etiquette and the like. Confident, but we'll just have to see.

And then there's the JET interview. I'm sure it's nothing too scary, but the letters and such really don't make it easy to get confident. Spent a bit of today memorising key figures in politics and names of islands, and reading up on current affairs. Did you know Japan's debt is twice its economic output? Sensationally dull stuff, but important stuff to know. Need to brush up those tenses as well, and come up with intelligent answers to those dreaded teaching role-play questions like 'What would you do if there's an obnoxious, disruptive kid in your class?' There goes my weekend.

Also turns out I have a problem with anger. Who'd have thought. Hopefully I can put at least a chunk of it down to iron deficiency, but it's starting to sound like this thing goes back a long way, gonna need a fair amount of fixing. Strategies are in place, only thing left is to try to relax. As they say, keep calm and carry on.

There's a new anime season out. Oh, and on the topic, I keep being told not to mention anime in my JET interview. Are they expecting me to lie? Say I got into Japanese through something else? Well no can do. I can reduce the emphasis, talk about the fascinating, and it IS fascinating, personality and psychology behind Japan, the vibrant culture and deep systems of social interaction, but that all stems from catching small monsters in red and white balls, and if JET don't want to hire someone who admits to that then they're clearly not an organisation that I'm destined to be a part of.

It's in God's hands.

Oh, right, Spring anime. Not a lot to talk about this season, it's a bit of a slow one. Still enjoying the second series of Letter Bee, really focussing on the main plot this time and it's working very well. Also very promising is Puella Magi Madoka Magica, a magical girl show (yeah, I'm way past the point at which I try to hide watching stuff like that) done by the Bakemonogatari team. Third episode saw someone getting their head chewed CLEAN off by a monster shaped like a licorice cake-snake, awesome. Same music director as Kara no Kyoukai, don't you know. Looking forward to seeing much more. Also going to need to check out stuff like Fractale, just to say I have. Oh, and holding out for the next Unicorn. That'll be sweet.

So, yeah, prayer appreciated for nerves and such, not just for me but for all J4ers. And the J2 lot, here's to you, writing applications for 3rd Year. This semester is only gonna get darker, need all the light we can get.

That enough angst for you, Natasha?

Thanks for reading.

Collect all Chaos Emeralds!

It's now coming up to nearly a month since my last post. Some of you may cry laziness, but you would find it difficult to write about goings on too had you so much... going on. The Christmas Holidays had barely begun when I was visited by... tch, I want to say 'my very own Ghost of Christmas Present' but that doesn't sound very nice. Steph came to the UK, is what I'm trying to say, and though I am now exhausted beyond belief I can safely declare this holiday as being THE best in living memory, the absolute best.

Although Steph's List of Places in Engand I want to Visit probably did not include Leicester and it's surrounding cities (taking yours truly out of the equation for a moment), we still managed to find enough stuff to do. For Christmas was upon us, and there were all manner of Christmassy things to keep us entertained. Here's a big thanks to all who helped make the day great: Mum, Dad and Andy for being there and helping out around the house, aunts, uncles and cousins for visiting, and especially to Ralph and Marsha for their generous gifts. There in spirit, they were.

Just afterwards saw the two of us heading to Birmingham for Steph to do some nostalgia-tripping with Oxford alumni, and me to find myself in the presence of the first of I'm sure a long string of people that I would need to prove myself to. I think I did alright. I even ate a boiled egg. Huge thanks to the Baylisses (is that how it's spelt?) for a really excellent couple of days. Those cheese potatoes shall never be forgotten.

Time in Leicester again saw the two of us head off on our first proper date (Tron: Legacy followed by Pizza Hut), attempt a trip to London several times before giving in and sleeping, and to Stratford for a New Year's celebration. I cannot say a single bad thing about any of the days we spent in Leicester, they were all matchless and time very, very well spent.

Edinburgh was a different matter. Nah, I'm joking. I'm pretty sure Steph's first trip to Scotland was enjoyed by her, despite some nasty weather. We saw the sights (y'know, those sights you have to see in Edinburgh), had a really fancy meal, even went to the borders with resident driver Lor, something I'd not done before. Massive thanks for that, by the way.

And now she's gone. In March the trip will be taken again in reverse, with my first ever journey to distant Hawai'i, but until then it's settling back in, getting my essays printed and trying my best to recover before this vicious new term begins. And boy will it be vicious. No dissertation, but three 9am starts every week, and no days off. Oh, joy.

Spent today curled up in bed reading Iain Banks. There is nothing more to say about it.

Thanks for reading.