Break

My friend Ella and I outside a Tokyo cafe, July 2014

It's the break, finally. What a week it has been - the last couple of days have been the most stressful in a while but my assignment got finished at last! Today, I spent a lovely day relaxing at my friends David and Lauren's house for a little house cafe that they organised. It was nice to feel slightly normal again and realise that there's life outside of the library. I'm having a little housewarming on Monday to celebrate my moving-out-of-home, which is exciting but also I'm freaking out a little bit as to what to provide and organise for it (and also how much of the house has to be cleaned!). I'm thinking some tea, punch and soft drink coupled with some baked goods and chips and dips for the daytime. Then possibly some red wine that I'll snatch from home, G&Ts and some beers will do the trick. A trip to the local farmers markets to buy some supplies for it will be a nice Sunday morning well spent.

Just one more week

Shibuya Train Station, Tokyo July 2014

My body seems to have taken a wee little bit of a break from the semester, a week too early. Its been a busy past couple of weeks with classes, assignments, moving out, general social commitments etc and it would be nice just to have a couple of days to do nothing without that constant nagging feeling that you should be doing something else. Over the break I intended to do a spring intensive French course, but funds are running low and there are other house-type things that I need to buy before indulging in extras. Its a shame because I was really looking forward to it. It looks like I'll have to spend the days doing non-money related activities like cleaning out my wardrobe, reading, running and taking some lovely snaps of my new hood. Anyways, I should be getting back (slash starting) my final assignment before the semester goes on break.

A Little Reminder

A Kyoto Cafe, July 2014

Some things that I need to remind myself this afternoon:

1. You know more than you think you know
2. Just start writing
3. Its only two thousand words
4. It doesn't need to be perfect
5. Just get it done and then you can sleep

Goals

Around Kyoto, July 2014

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

There's four more months of twenty fourteen, lets make them count. Here's what I have planned...

Enrol in Alliance Français classes
Donate Blood (tick, done today!)
Enrol in film photography & general DSLR photography classes
Look into some legal volunteer work
Produce a short film for my church
Buy a Contax T2 and carry it around with me at all times
Invest in some super cool green New Balance sneakers
Clean out my wardrobe, get back to the basics and sell/throw out anything that isn't worn
Sell my old camera lenses
Go on a camping adventure with friends and take photographs (Bluff Knoll?)
Learn more about filter coffee, invest in preferred brewing method once decided
Read five literature novels and five non fiction books
Be able to run 8km straight by the end of the year

Gion

Gion Shijo Bridge, Kyoto July 2014

"The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Castaneda

Twenty First

Clare's Twenty First, August 2014

Here are some snaps from Clare's twenty first that I attended a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I was a little lazy taking photographs but alas, here are some. The venue was wonderfully lit with hanging bulbs coupled with white bunting, mini-tents and many flowers. The evening was filled with laughter, dancing, fun and lots of gods blessings.

peter pan

It's cold outside but I wanted to wear my peter pan collared shirt, so alas.

Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station, July 2014

I've had a bit of a silly weekend - on Friday I attended my faculty's ball at the Perth Convention Centre which was fun and exciting but exhausting at the same time. I had a few too many champagnes and possibly made a fool of myself (most likely, in fact) but I guess it's just lessons for next time. I love what I study but sometimes I get a little bit too caught up in the world of law and need some down time back to what really matters and what I really care about. I spent the rest of the weekend working, which made me utterly exhausted for the week to come (which is filled with a particularly nasty Torts assignment). Thankfully I don't have class til 2pm today so I've spent the morning sleeping in, doing my washing, arranging my finances cleaning my room and drinking coffee.

Cat Street End

Cat Street, Shibuya Tokyo July 2014

I spent my first evening at my new abode last night. The bed is a little smaller than I'm used to and I can hear the cars from Shepperton road pass by in the night but the room is mine and it's great. I woke up to my housemate making freshly brewed coffee for me and pretty bunting welcoming me to the house. This whole moving-out-of-home business is pretty great. Also Air Asia have flights to Japan on sale for January, very tempted but running out of funds.