On Paper

Just completed some paperwork related to the provision of extra classes for the foreign scholars in my school. I regard this as the single worst job of my year, so I try to put it off to the last possible moment. Unfortunately it requires three full days to gather and complete all the documentation required by the Ministry of Education of this Far Place to account for all the money spent. And, even more unfortunately, I know that there will be further queries about the courses provided stretching into next year, because there always are. 

I suppose it's good to put rigorous procedures in place to ensure that money is well spent, but when you're undergoing the rigour you do wonder why so much paper needs to be generated to account for something that's essentially over and done with. And I'm doubtful that there's any real correlation between the quality of teaching and learning and the paper-blizzard whirling around it.

Not Exactly Inspiring

We're now packing to spend the end of this month and most of December in the UK. I can't honestly say I'm thrilled to be going to not-so-sunny Manchester at the back end of the year, though it will be good to see friends & family. Most of all I'm not exactly keen to have a close encounter with the messy election going wearily on, and what is likely to be its even messier aftermath. It's painful to think of the politics of the land of one's birth as faintly humiliating. Mind you, things could be worse. At least we're not going to the US of A.

Vulnerability

Got myself moving around a bit more today - but gingerly at best. Yesterday we were at Vivo City in the evening and today at Clementi Mall, both locations being crowded. I feel very vulnerable in such crowds when my back is aching. For some reason I'm wary of someone suddenly rushing by and bumping into me thinking of how painful that would be. An odd way to think since I've never been bumped into by anyone anywhere when shopping.

It's salutary to come to an awareness of how vulnerable those struggling with their health must feel all the time.

A Bit Of A Mess

Spent most of the day on the floor feeling sorry for myself. Couldn't really get comfortable enough to read, so watched a fair amount of telly, unusually for me. Finally saw the train wreck of an interview involving that most egregious of the Royals, Prince Andrew. The lifelong Republican in me rejoiced as he managed to embody all that is wrong with the system of privilege upon which the monarchy rests. If he'd have been heir to the throne it would surely have been game over for the Windsors. As it is, I'm hoping to see the end of the institution within my lifetime, and since he's still around in the background that'll surely be of some help.

Floored

Woke up with a bit of an ache in the left side of my left leg. In the course of the day the ache got steadily worse. Now I'm trying to cope with major discomfort in my back and the coping isn't going terribly well. A reminder of how little of a fan I am of pain. I intend to get back to lying on the floor, seeking some kind of ease, as soon as I've finished writing this. Ouch.

Out

Two deeply impressive naps today serve as evidence of just how tired I was left after the Japan jaunt. Did manage to fit in a trip to my back doc and some household cleaning so all was not lost.

Called

I'd spent the morning at work, despite nominally being on vacation, since my to-do list is of fairly epic proportions at the moment. Arriving at the masjid for Friday Prayers, my mind was still running over an email I needed to write. I can't honestly say that any of this felt like particularly burdensome: I didn't need to go back to my desk in the afternoon and I was vaguely enjoying thinking over the details of the email, feeling confident that I would be able to manage the tone I was looking for and keep the thing to just a few simple lines.

But as I sat waiting for proceedings to really get going, and the call to prayer abruptly commenced, I realised just how far my thoughts had drifted from the business of worship at hand. This was particularly the case since the azan was gorgeously melodic and wrenched me immediately to another place. In that moment I experienced a powerful sense of release, made strangely sharper by the fact I hadn't been in any way lost poorly in my thoughts.

It occurred to me that my ability to re-focus, as I found myself doing in that moment, has become stronger as I have grown older, possibly because my engagement in any line of thought has become less intense, even when the thoughts are serious, even troubling. Somehow I'm less invested in whatever is on my mind and more ready to surrender to the needs of the moment in terms of the kind of attention demanded. I'm not exactly sure that I'm finding it easier to let go, but I'm certainly more ready to follow when called.

Playing Around

On the flight out to Japan I watched the first 15 minutes or so of Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and thought it was very good. I would have watched more, but needed to sleep. So I had a pretty good idea in advance that I would thoroughly enjoy watching the movie in its entirety on the flight back, and I was not wrong. I did wonder whether the full 2 hours and 40 minutes of the film would hold my attention throughout, but in the event time flew by and I was disappointed when it was over.

The film combines inventive energy and an enjoyable playfulness without ever really taking itself too seriously. I'm informed that there's a level of controversy about the way Tarantino distorts his source material, especially with regard to the ending of the film, but I found no problem in accepting, indeed relishing, the director's imaginative take on the period.

In fact, the touchingly sympathetic portrayal of poor Sharon Tate - quite unexpected given most of the commentary on the dark events surrounding the Manson 'family' - was a triumph, justifying the whole enterprise.

A Little Learning

We're off to the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Arashiyama Bamboo Grove this morning, ahead of our return flight from Osaka. Gosh, we've kept ourselves busy out here. And most fruitfully so.

These trips are intended as ways for the students involved to extend their learning, and I suppose I'm here to assist in that process, but I seem to undergoing much the same kind of experience - indeed, learning both with and from them. Oh, and I think they're having fun as well. I know I am.

Spoilt For Choice

Now thinking of what movies to watch on the flight back on Wednesday. It's a hard life, eh?