Wall of Text!
So, mini-updates on Facebook (shameless Twitter ripoff, but it reaches more folks I know, so it's won my battle for usage) have comprised most of my life updates as of late. It feels like it's time to get a good old fashioned journal entry in for once.
I've finished the taught part of my Master's program at the University of Sheffield, assuming I don't receive a devastating email in the next couple of weeks advising me to come in and "discuss the results of my final examination" (which would mean I failed it, and thus the module). Even if that happens, I have a final opportunity to retake the exam in late summer. With the first exam, I wasn't entirely sure how I did on it, but I passed. The exam I just took had two sections on which I felt particularly confident compared to last time, but the composition component was quite difficult. I've never really subscribed to the motto "C's get degrees!", but I've had to with this program; it is BRUTAL, though thoroughly educational. Assuming all goes well, I have from now until September 11th to research and write an 18,000 word dissertation.
For my dissertation, I will be examining political cartoons published by Japanese newspapers during the G7/8 conferences from the mid 1970s until approximately the late 1990s, and see if the way in which Japanese depicted themselves in relation to the the Western powers of the conferences in said cartoons is an appropriate gauge for the way Japanese people viewed themselves as a people over the duration of 20-25 years. Arguably, because of the economy booming and then busting in the 1990s, there was a change in dialogue amongst the Japanese at this time; they went from being particularly proud of their economic success and attributed it to particularly unique Japanese only traits (some of which were compiled in a loose body of works known as the nihonjinron: discourse on the Japanese), and into self-blame when the bubble burst in the 1990s. I want to investigate a), if examining this kind of visual media is an appropriate and powerful form of primary source in which scholars can deduce further evidence of this change in identity amongst the Japanese and b) if there is a correlation between these attitude changes as they are understood in Japanese studies literature, and the depictions of the Japanese in their political cartoons of this event over 20-25 years.
Phewh.
So, that's my project over the next three months, and that doesn't even count getting married a week after the dissertation is due, and adjusting to living with my fiance.
I moved (most) of my things down from Sheffield this past Tuesday, and moved into a tiny townhouse in Godalming just today. Stuart and I have spent most of the day putting things away and sorting out the house just how we like it. We also cooked some, bought perishable groceries, and have spent equal amounts of time working and flopping on the bed whilst complaining how tired we are. It's tiring work, but wonderful work. I've only lived with a housemate one other time, and the experience of living jointly with someone you love is exhilarating. We do, however, have our computers in different parts of the house, just so we can still get time to ourselves whilst doing what we love: namely, computer games and web browsing.
We're looking into buying two gym memberships for a Fitness First that's less than 10 minutes walk away from our house. Rumor has it that they are much more expensive than we first thought; Stuart's brother said he believed it to be £500 a year. My own estimate is that it's something closer to £300. Neither is particularly cheap, but I would expect £300 from a gym, as that's about the going rate for the gym in Sheffield if joining as a non-student. Needless to day, if it's closer to the tune of £500, we may just invest in a Wii, Wii Fit, and some healthy eating cookbooks instead.
Hell, we may end up doing that anyway if the money holds out. But that's me being incredibly optimistic.
My wedding dress arrived to Stuart's parents' house on Tuesday, and thankfully it looked absolutely lovely on me. The alterations it needs are minimal; namely, some pinching in on the bust as I was not blessed with particularly large breasts. That, or I suppose I could just stuff myself. xD
A disappointment, though, was the bolero jacket that came with it. While lovely, the sleeves are entirely too long and look goofy as they are. They also don't do much for covering the scars on my arms, as the sequined ornaments on them are on places that don't need much coverage. I have a feeling the sleeve length could be altered if the jacket were ripped apart at the seams along the jacket body, but the material is a very, very fine white mesh. I'll be taking it to a professional tailor hands down, but I don't even know if it's something they could work with, as the fabric is just incredibly fine. Worse comes to worse, I may end up having to bare my arms and all, and cover the rest with makeup or something.
I've finished the taught part of my Master's program at the University of Sheffield, assuming I don't receive a devastating email in the next couple of weeks advising me to come in and "discuss the results of my final examination" (which would mean I failed it, and thus the module). Even if that happens, I have a final opportunity to retake the exam in late summer. With the first exam, I wasn't entirely sure how I did on it, but I passed. The exam I just took had two sections on which I felt particularly confident compared to last time, but the composition component was quite difficult. I've never really subscribed to the motto "C's get degrees!", but I've had to with this program; it is BRUTAL, though thoroughly educational. Assuming all goes well, I have from now until September 11th to research and write an 18,000 word dissertation.
For my dissertation, I will be examining political cartoons published by Japanese newspapers during the G7/8 conferences from the mid 1970s until approximately the late 1990s, and see if the way in which Japanese depicted themselves in relation to the the Western powers of the conferences in said cartoons is an appropriate gauge for the way Japanese people viewed themselves as a people over the duration of 20-25 years. Arguably, because of the economy booming and then busting in the 1990s, there was a change in dialogue amongst the Japanese at this time; they went from being particularly proud of their economic success and attributed it to particularly unique Japanese only traits (some of which were compiled in a loose body of works known as the nihonjinron: discourse on the Japanese), and into self-blame when the bubble burst in the 1990s. I want to investigate a), if examining this kind of visual media is an appropriate and powerful form of primary source in which scholars can deduce further evidence of this change in identity amongst the Japanese and b) if there is a correlation between these attitude changes as they are understood in Japanese studies literature, and the depictions of the Japanese in their political cartoons of this event over 20-25 years.
Phewh.
So, that's my project over the next three months, and that doesn't even count getting married a week after the dissertation is due, and adjusting to living with my fiance.
I moved (most) of my things down from Sheffield this past Tuesday, and moved into a tiny townhouse in Godalming just today. Stuart and I have spent most of the day putting things away and sorting out the house just how we like it. We also cooked some, bought perishable groceries, and have spent equal amounts of time working and flopping on the bed whilst complaining how tired we are. It's tiring work, but wonderful work. I've only lived with a housemate one other time, and the experience of living jointly with someone you love is exhilarating. We do, however, have our computers in different parts of the house, just so we can still get time to ourselves whilst doing what we love: namely, computer games and web browsing.
We're looking into buying two gym memberships for a Fitness First that's less than 10 minutes walk away from our house. Rumor has it that they are much more expensive than we first thought; Stuart's brother said he believed it to be £500 a year. My own estimate is that it's something closer to £300. Neither is particularly cheap, but I would expect £300 from a gym, as that's about the going rate for the gym in Sheffield if joining as a non-student. Needless to day, if it's closer to the tune of £500, we may just invest in a Wii, Wii Fit, and some healthy eating cookbooks instead.
Hell, we may end up doing that anyway if the money holds out. But that's me being incredibly optimistic.
My wedding dress arrived to Stuart's parents' house on Tuesday, and thankfully it looked absolutely lovely on me. The alterations it needs are minimal; namely, some pinching in on the bust as I was not blessed with particularly large breasts. That, or I suppose I could just stuff myself. xD
A disappointment, though, was the bolero jacket that came with it. While lovely, the sleeves are entirely too long and look goofy as they are. They also don't do much for covering the scars on my arms, as the sequined ornaments on them are on places that don't need much coverage. I have a feeling the sleeve length could be altered if the jacket were ripped apart at the seams along the jacket body, but the material is a very, very fine white mesh. I'll be taking it to a professional tailor hands down, but I don't even know if it's something they could work with, as the fabric is just incredibly fine. Worse comes to worse, I may end up having to bare my arms and all, and cover the rest with makeup or something.