The Return, Japan, DIY and Other Musings!

Howdy there!  Fancy seeing you here after all this time!  I can only apologise profusely for the complete lack of any contact for over a month, but there are good and valid reasons!  Reason one!  As documented here, I went to Japan for two weeks.  Reason two!  After returning from Japan, I had one week to pack and sort my stuff in order to move house.  Reason three!  The new house only started broadcasting internet yesterday.  Forgive me?  Come on, you know you can't stay mad at me.  I bought you a gift.  See, now you definitely can't be mad.

Despite there being such a huge gap between posts, not too much of interest or analysis has happened lately.  Japan, as you could imagine, was absolutely awesome.  If you are friends with me on the Facebook, you'll have no doubt seen my completely unedited super rush of photos.  If not, there are far too many highlights for me to dump on here.  I'll try setting up a tumblr or something (or alternatively, just add me on fb? http://www.facebook.com/bensheppard88 - or is that too forward?).

It wasn't all wine and roses, beer and pizzas however.  One problem with the Japan trip was that, despite it being a two week holiday, I came back completely exhausted.  I think I'm too old now to travel to several cities in two weeks and spend most days walking for 12 hours.  As a motley crew, we visited Tokyo, Nara, Shikoku, Naoshima, Hiroshima and Kyoto.  I bought a Hiroshima Carps cap, because, you know, baseball's where it's at right now (see other musings).

Hiroshima, as you'd expect, was a complete highlight.  An incredibly depressing highlight, but definitely a very worthwhile one.  I really should document the experiences I had there, but currently, I'm quite sleepy, so that can wait for another day.  Another day, where I am less busy.

Why am I so busy?  Because we're in full on exam season.  Hooray, hooray.  My actuarial exams start in 17 days.  That's incredibly depressing.  Time for one to pull one's socks up and all that.  I have CT1 on 27th September and CT3 on 7th October.  Fortunately, the NHL season starts in the evening of the 7th, so that's a nice reward for myself.

And with that I bid you adieu.  Just a brief message to tell you I'm alive, and then I leave you.  I leave you like all the warmth and comfort of a bath that you've just weed in.

What gift?

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Other Musings:

The new house is rather pleasant, if a tad out of the way.  Quite expensive too.  And unfurnished.  Unfurnished isn't a bad thing though.  It allows me to utilise my sick DIY skills.  Look at what I created!

Oh, how my Grandad would be proud.

I've seen a few films lately (what a surprise!).  The only one I can remember though was Kill List.  Really clever and original use of editing.  The acting was also superb.  Shame about the plot.

After my exams have finished, I'm focusing on a film project, with my good friend Jonathan Hatfull (him of http://jonathanwriting.blogspot.com/ and http://fohnhouse.blogspot.com/ fame).  I'm not willing to pass on details yet, but expect something fantastic and cheap.

Keeping on films though, I've become part way obsessed with Moneyball and its trailer.  I want to see this movie so much, that I'm even downloading retro Baseball Manager games.  I don't even think I'll be able to get them to work.

From one sport to another; like many ice hockey fans, I've been bummed out recently.  The passing of three enforcers over the offseason has been upsetting to see, but nothing has roused my anger and sadness quite like the Yaroslavl plane crash.  I'd like to save my spite and vitriol until further details have come to light, but I am less than impressed with Russian aviation right now.