Miss Ember in pictures #1

Random pictures from the web, that is. Snitched from Sgt M.

First. Take your answer to each question and type it into an image search engine of your choice.
Second. Post one of the images from the first page of results.

1. The age you will be on your next birthday:



2. A place to which you would like to travel:




3. Your favorite place:




4. Your favorite object:

5. Your favorite food:

Miss Ember in pictures #2

6. Your favorite animal:




7. Your favorite colour:




8. The town in which you were born:




9. The town in which you live:




10. The name of a past pet:

Miss Ember in pictures #3

11. The first name of a past love:




12. Your best friend's nickname:


13. Your nickname/ Screen name:





14. Your first name:





15. Your middle name:

Miss Ember in pictures #4

16. Your last name:


17. A bad habit of yours:






18. Your first job:




19. Your grandmother's name:




20. Your major in college:

I was only taking notes, Miss!

A little comic relief in the back row, obviously etched by some bright scholar absorbed in deep, impenetrable thought.

Japanese desk graffiti

Here at St Hearn's, I've been oft amused whilst wandering the aisles with my birch in tow at the difference between Antipodean and Nipponese desk graffiti. Am yet to spot any Yuko 4 Sho 4 eva's (who is that Eva gal anyway?), but much in the way of manga-style doodlings can be spotted. My fave is the ambiguous piece of fluff. Will make this a regular "spot" on my blog, as new work is popping up every week (especially in the back rows).

Sayonara, usagi!

Last month saw the sudden (but not unexpected) collapse of English language school chain, Nova. Sadly, hundreds of branches were shut down and many instructors were left jobless, and in some cases, evicted from their apartments and busking in Ueno Park, delivering moving renditions of karaoke faves from their golden days at this dubious establishment (such as "Baby Got Back").

During my sojourn in ol' Hirosh, I took a nostalgic turn down Hondori to see the beshuttered doors of the main branch. Taped to the door were some sweet sentiments from students.

Birch me quick!

No, I don't use one of these in my schoolhouse (to the great relief of my students), but this broom is typical of the basic garden sweeping implement here in the Nippon. It's a common sight to see frail, older women with stooped backs, and scullery-maid style caps or bonnets upon their heads, briskly tidying up the stray autumn leaves in parks, templegrounds and yards with this classic-looking broom. Viewing this style of broom evokes for me images of smoky cottages, autumn harvest and storybook witches. And of course one cannot help but recall Kiki and her delivery service.

More-ish Mitaki meanderings

More Mitaki

Further scenes from Mitaki

Autumn leaves at Mitaki

Sir S and I immersed ourselves in further autumnal bliss at my favourite place of tranquillity, Mitaki Temple. I especially like the view of maples and powerlines (the latter a common sight in Japan).

Umeshu indulgence

It is a fact well-known amongst my Japanese friends that my fave drink in the Nippon is umeshu or plum wine. In light of this truth, Detective Inspector M suggested we have an evening drink or three at an umeshu bar, Ume Tsubaki. This is a different bar to that which Crazy Aya escorted us to earlier in the year, but equally elegant. The bar featured simple tatami mat rooms, with misted pink blossoms painted on the walls and a bough of deep pink blossom arched over a pebbled water feature. We could peep at neighbouring drinkers through a circular window. The delightful Miss A joined us, and we sipped each other's umeshu in a festival of flavours: green tea, red, brandy-based and umeshu cocktails. Much was discussed, including risque Japanese onomatopoeia which shall not be uttered here.