(no subject)
Y'all know I am lousy at the updating, but just to check-in on where I am and what I'm doing:
I'm more or less settled into my new post at Central, and enjoying it. The work environment is better than I thought it would be, but I need to work quite hard at securing more visits over the next few months, as this is key to my work, but it's something that usually takes a while to get started.
I've been reconnecting with many of my old interests, and this has meant a lot of weekends away - Connotations in Durham, Birmingham International Comic Show - which has been a great chance to see people and catch up. I'll also be doing some National Trust Leadership Training and a VSO Returned Volunteers Weekend in the coming months.
I've started studying Japanese again, with Oxford Continuing Education - the best thing is that it's at Ewert House, which is about two minutes from the flat on foot. I'm still very much a beginner, but I'm hoping that this combined with the six weeks of Community School while I was in Honolulu will put me on the path to learning it properly as an adult. (I went to Japanese school from ages 5-10, but most of it was rote learning, so I lost it when I stopped.)
Fandom wise, I've watched the first few episodes of (new) Hawaii 5-0, thanks to some folks at Connotations, and - it's better than I thought it would be. There's stuff that doesn't work, like Jean Smart at the Governor, and fictional "Kukui High School" (like there aren't enough high schools on the island already - and where the hell are they supposed to be located?!) but there's a lot of good stuff too. Special commendation to Daniel Dae Kim, who actually seems to be getting the hang of acting like a local, despite having to do all the pidgin and Hawaiian language bits. Plus, total McGarret/Danno, of course! I'm going to try to introduce this at Wednesday squee.
Also, having had some fannish weekend time at emmzzi's which consisted mostly of vids and Merlin, I have concluded 1) I have the biggest crush on Uther (Surprised? Didn't think so...) 2) thanks to revelations about family relationships, all my favourite Merlin ships appear to be heading into dubious and faintly squicky territory and 3) I...want to watch some more Legend of the Seeker, mostly for the Darken Rahl. Oh dear.
I'm more or less settled into my new post at Central, and enjoying it. The work environment is better than I thought it would be, but I need to work quite hard at securing more visits over the next few months, as this is key to my work, but it's something that usually takes a while to get started.
I've been reconnecting with many of my old interests, and this has meant a lot of weekends away - Connotations in Durham, Birmingham International Comic Show - which has been a great chance to see people and catch up. I'll also be doing some National Trust Leadership Training and a VSO Returned Volunteers Weekend in the coming months.
I've started studying Japanese again, with Oxford Continuing Education - the best thing is that it's at Ewert House, which is about two minutes from the flat on foot. I'm still very much a beginner, but I'm hoping that this combined with the six weeks of Community School while I was in Honolulu will put me on the path to learning it properly as an adult. (I went to Japanese school from ages 5-10, but most of it was rote learning, so I lost it when I stopped.)
Fandom wise, I've watched the first few episodes of (new) Hawaii 5-0, thanks to some folks at Connotations, and - it's better than I thought it would be. There's stuff that doesn't work, like Jean Smart at the Governor, and fictional "Kukui High School" (like there aren't enough high schools on the island already - and where the hell are they supposed to be located?!) but there's a lot of good stuff too. Special commendation to Daniel Dae Kim, who actually seems to be getting the hang of acting like a local, despite having to do all the pidgin and Hawaiian language bits. Plus, total McGarret/Danno, of course! I'm going to try to introduce this at Wednesday squee.
Also, having had some fannish weekend time at emmzzi's which consisted mostly of vids and Merlin, I have concluded 1) I have the biggest crush on Uther (Surprised? Didn't think so...) 2) thanks to revelations about family relationships, all my favourite Merlin ships appear to be heading into dubious and faintly squicky territory and 3) I...want to watch some more Legend of the Seeker, mostly for the Darken Rahl. Oh dear.