Apologies for the long silence

To those who read this page regularly, I need to apologise for my inactivity over the past couple of weeks. There are reasons, which I will outline now.

Reason One "I do not have the internet at the moment"

Having moved into my new, 3DK apartment from my pokey 1R one, I have had nothing but stress and bluff from my until-now exemplary relationship with Yahoo BB... perhaps it was naive of me to assume that in moving I would only have to call them up and tell them my new address in order for my connection to continue, but having to box up and send the modem to Tokyo (at my expense), being told that my area can only accept the very basic connection package and having to wait until February to be connected seems like several steps too far. Thus, after 16 happy months, Yahoo BB and I have parted ways.

Reason Two "I am soon to be between jobs"

I was told just before Christmas that my contract would not be renewed next year. Whilst in truth I hate my current job and will sing from the rooftops when I finally leave for the last time, a certain uncertainty has been cast on my immediate future. I really don't want to teach in a high school again, and instead really want to get back into conversation teaching. I have reapplied to my former company, and am currently waiting for the next stage in the process, but I'm not sure how the die will fall and contingency plans need to be made. In short, I have had a lot on my mind and there hasn't been much room for blogging.

Reason Three "I have just emerged from a moving house situation into a pre-wedding situation"

They say that moving is one of the most stressful times in life, and whilst mine wasn't so dramatic it certainly had it's moments. We are in a state of limbo at the moment, with appliances about to be delivered and furniture waiting to be moved in. Then there's the wedding in February, and the bureaucratic stress that comes with it (almost exclusively on the Japanese side I must say - and more precisely a handful of my soon-to-be wife's relatives). To complicate matters further, my fiance's father is in the hospital, so there is the worry over him as well.

In short, it's been a busy, bruising kind of fortnight, and other things have been occupying my mind. But now that work proper is about to start (Tuesday), there should be plenty more entries.

Until then, a happy new year to you all, or as we say in Japan akemashite omedetougozaimasu, kyonen mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.