I didn’t explode but what did I do?
- rushed to finish work before going home for the holidays
- got really sick on my final day in Vancouver and in fever flew home under a pile of airplane blankets and parka
- saw much missed family and friends
- drove to Humboldt, SK for a bitingly cold but beautiful white and shimmery day and a short night to see my grandmother
- finished my thesis draft
- ate some delicious meals made by my sister
- went to two CrossFit classes with Kim
- basked in excitement and anticipation of Kim’s upcoming wedding with the arrival of bridesmaid dresses and a wedding shower
- got a new pair of running shoes and the Nike + iPod Sport Kit to jog into the new year with (it’s been great and motivational to track my runs)
- came back to Vancouver before the new year and spent the eve on the couch
- to wake up the next morning and have a super productive day
- started karate practice again and I think my kata is getting a little better
- watched a lot of Buffy
- found a Book Off in Vancouver and felt like I was in Japan again
- bought a textbook in intermediate Japanese, 星の王子さま (the Little Prince), and Murakami’s first book, 風の歌を聴け (Hear the Wind Sing) to motivate a return to my Japanese studies
Among other things, this is what I am remembering for now.
Why have I not been writing? I don’t really know.
But I have some ideas. There is so much that I want to do, that I need to be doing now that when I come to this Box, I feel like I can’t justify the time to write something. I’m also in a period of transition; I’m trying to ground myself and days are flying by. All the little things that I might comment on here slip away as I rush to the next thought of how I must proceed.
How am I proceeding?
- This week I have finally started to really truly get my hands dirty in the job searching process.
- I am finishing up my work at UBC from last fall so that by next week I can concentrate 60% on thesis revisions
- The other 40% will go towards a conference submission due early February and applying for jobs
- Break time involves karate, studying Japanese, testing my cooking skills, trying to get out more than in the fall, and watching the final season of the Buffy series
And…I should probably be writing more. I will try. And taking pictures.
But for now, back to work.









