Satoshi's Reunion Party

See more in my photo album!!

去年博士課程を終えられたサトシさんがGraduation Ceremonyに出席するためにヨークに帰ってきた。今回はご両親も一緒だ。ちょうど去年の6月ごろに彼のAfer Viva Partyをやってからもう一年、早いものです。　（Viva･ヴァイヴァとはアメリカではDefenceとも言い、博士論文についての口頭試問のこと。これが終わって晴れて博士課程が終了となる）

今回はサトシさんと同じEnvironment DepのJanとトヨさんをはじめにバンド演奏もした。僕もこないだ買ったボンゴを叩いた。上の写真は、活き活きとした演奏の瞬間を捉えている気がして、すごく好き。

それにしても、サトシさんもご両親もすごく嬉しそう。　本当におめでとうございます！

Graduation

It's a good time of the year in England. Massive "congratulation" for all my friends who have got the degree!! Well done!! And for me as well! Well done me! (See my photo album for more photo)

イギリスの卒業式は面白いです。修士、博士の卒業式は卒業した年の一年後にやるんです。だから去年の9月に卒論を提出した人たちはようやく今、卒業式を終えて晴れて修士終了となる訳です。　論文の審査に二、三人の審査員が関わるのと、効率の悪いオフィスワークのせいかと思います。　始めは随分いい加減なもんだ、と感じたものですが、そのおかげもあって、一年後に再び旧交を温めるチャンスになるわけです。今年も日本から、アメリカから、そしてマカオからなど、友人が来ていました。一緒に集まってご飯食べたり、パーティーしたりと、楽しいひと時です。

僕の場合、ヨークに来てから修士プログラムを一年ずつ二つやったので、今年も卒業式がありました。ただ、ガウンを着たりするフォーマリティはもういいや、ということで友人と夕方会うだけにしました。それは良いんですが、修士二つやることにした自分を、まだ積極的に評価しきれてない自分がいたりもします。（特に、学部の陽気であまり頭の良くない秘書氏などは、僕のことを高い授業料払ってもらって二度マスターをやったお客さんくらいに思ってる節もあって、僕の自意識過剰かもしれませんが、そういうのをたまに気にしてしまったりするんです）

とまれ、僕は僕でWell done, well done、と言って、ポン、ポンと肩を叩いてやりたい、そんな気分になります。そんな訳で、去年ガウンを着たときに撮った写真も載せてみます。ていうか、だれか、ちょっとWell doneと言って！！　誉めて伸びるタイプだからさ！

Zidan

Oh it was dissapointing to see him being sent off.
Believe it or not, Japanese Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Trasport has now started wondering about chaning the symbols for pedestrian signals!! Such an hommage to this MVP player!

Words of the American poet, Maya Angelou

Just a few moments ago, I unexpectedly received a email from my Tiwanese friend.* It was about the American poet, Maya Angelou. Born in April 4, 1928, she 'is an American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement'. (Read more in wiki).

I don't know where she got this story from. But I found it interesting, and thought you may also find interesting. I quote my friend's mail entirely:

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words! Maya Angelou said this:

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."

"I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life."

"I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life."

"I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance."

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back."

"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."

"I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back."

"I've learned that I still have a lot to learn."

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

*I don't think you know my blog, but thank you Wei-ling!!

7th July is a special day indeed

There's an established tradition across Asian countries to have a festival on 7th July. It's 七夕 (Called 'tanabata' in Japanese, 'Qi Xi' in Mandarine), based on the lengendary meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separated these two lovers, and they were allowed to meet only once a year. Find more in wiki.

Many people - and so did I - write down their wishes and then hang it from a bamboo. I haven't done this this year though. But there we go. I've drawn up a few things I wish to do over the summer.

1) I want to enjoy joining the Kid's Camp at the end of this month. This would be another exploration into English soceity, albeit quite a lay-back one.

2) I've recently bought bongoes as in the photo below. So I wanna practice a bit, and enjoy music as much as I have done. Indeed, music is spelled　音楽 in Japanese, which quite literally reads 'sound' and 'to enjoy'.

3) A little more challenging one. I want to start learning French so that I can attend an intermediate level French course from October. So ask me "Monsieur, vous parlez français?" in late September!!

Well, but I know what I really want to wish. I wish to be able to sing "Time after Time" as my own song: "if you're lost you can look - and you will find me time after time". Oh, I'm miles away.

So what's your wish for the summer?