April in brief

I haven't updated this blog for a while, and I'm sure this is the longest gap between posts since I've started it, but life has been fairly eventful, and between essays, exam revision, work placements and voracious reading sessions, I simply haven't found the time.
The biggest news since my last post is my acceptance onto the JET programme in Japan (teaching English), the levity of which didn't sink in for at least a whole week. When it did though, I felt thrilled and nervous at the same time, and am glad that my exertion learning kana has not been in vain. I'll fly out in late July or early August with 30lbs of luggage and a positive mental attitude. Soon enough I'll be able to call myself part of an ethnic minority for the first time in my life.
At the moment I'm staying with old friends in Edinburgh, occasionally pausing to admire the view of the castle from the front window while listening to a vinyl of Tom Waits' Rain Dogs.
My purpose for this visit is a work placement at The List magazine, at which my first week has gone well, culminating in a phone interview with the excellent Tina Malone from Shameless. She's got some mouth on her and gave a cracking interview, but the publisher seemed slightly nervous as to the sensitivity of its content so I hope it gets salvaged rather than slaughtered during the editing process next week.
Today has been relaxing though. I've decided I have put off riding a bike for far too long and so I submitted myself to public scrutiny this afternoon as I took to the Meadows on a borrowed (girls') bicycle. A few folk seemed a bit annoyed by my serpentine steering across the full width of the pathway, with consternated faces typical of the Scottish capital. Others were game though, offering the assistance of a push-along as I struggled uphill. Downhill on the other hand, was an exhilarating experience and made me re-evaluate how much of my childhood I must have wasted to Sonic the Hedgehog.
I also visited a lovely shop in Grassmarket called the Owl and Lion. It specialises in hand made notebooks, post cards and the like; I treated myself to one of a limited edition of 50.
It appears black until tilted to the light, where it reveals the image of several beautifully drawn crows. It was pricey but something to savour, and the plan is to put pencil to page on my first night in Japan. I also think it's endearing that it has a stamp inside it certifying its authenticity as a Scottish item. It'll make a change from keeping a journal on the internet all the time.
I'm off to watch a DVD now; my friend suggested Shogun Assassin, but I'm had my fill of old-school Japanese bloodshed after watching Golgo 13 the other night. It's between Marie Antoinette and Raging Bull right now. Decisions, decisions.