We’re back from Japan and severely jet lagged. The trip was amazing. Chris and I will both try and post our impressions and trip photos over next few days so keep checking our blogs. But first, I’ll take a nap.
A teenage chaos shopping street in Tokyo
I wrote my exam on Tuesday and now I’m back to work-a-day-rest-at-night lifestyle. Though not for long since we’re hitting the airport on Friday. There is nothing like going to the opposite end of the world to put a closure on a semester.
Currently I am making a mixed CD for my work buddies. We were discussing the trend of iPod swapping with co-workers. We agreed that it was a great idea, but since I am the only one with the iPod, which isn’t even mine, we stuck with CDs. The rules are as follows: there needs to be about 20 to 30 songs with no more than 3 by the same artist. The idea is to put the stuff that you like, but also try and get many genres. I’ve put the following artists: Belle & Sebastian, Cibo Matto, Diamanda Galas, Emm Gryner, Liz Phair, Laibach, Magnetic Fields, Neko Case, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Organ, Patti Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Tegan & Sara and White Stripes.
There are some trends with the music that I’ve chosen that I haven’t noticed before. For example, there is a definite mellowness to the music I put on the CD. I am getting more mellow with age ;).
Every spring teta Ruza, Hrvoje and I would go pick crocuses (pl. croci ?) in the nearby Maksimir forest. When we’d get home teta Ruza would put them in a yoghurt cup next to her sink. This was my favourite spring tradition.
I’ve got a single patch of crocuses growing in my garden this year. It was a bit of touch-and-go this morning when a garbage can rolled over them, but they’re still going strong.
Last week’s Bob the Angry Flower cartoon struck a chord with me.
We’re being strongly encouraged to attend our annual team building curling bonspiel. Last year I managed to avoid it because I had a class at that time, but this year I am not so lucky. I am afraid that not liking curling is not strong enough excuse. Why can’t we do something that I like instead of sports?
One of my favourite experiences last year was visiting the Death Valley desert. There is something so amazing about the desert, a sense of bravado, a touch of daring do. It absolutely astounds me that things can survive, and even thrive, in this environment. I loved the desert because, even though it seems so bare, you can sense the strong presence of life.
Chris took this picture in August ’04:
Evidently, I was right to think this. Due to huge amounts of rain in California this year, the deserts in the area have been flooded with wild flower blooms whose seeds have been accumulating for years.
One of many pretty pictures from www.desertusa.com:
I wish I could go and see it myself, but alas, all I have is the Internet. This site has the nicest pictures I could find. And there is a nice little Quicktime 360 shot here.
* This reference is so obvious all I’ll say is that you’ve probably heard it on CHOM or some other commercial radio station.
This year was a bit trying on the house plants. The dirt I bought was not the optimal kind and I’ve made some bad potting desicions. That’ll teach me. I still got some nice blooms though. Yay!
