Day 284: rehearsing all the rests

Day 284 (16 Sept) Monday. 

Bonsai, at 6.12am

Off to work again, back for rehearsal. That's how Mondays work pretty much during the semester. Timetables. it's how we, as academics, roll. Timetabling things like: watering the bonsai at 6.12am. And checking through and ordering the music for tonight's rehearsal at 6.12pm. (If you notice the absence of instrument, there is a theory that 'looking' at one's music just before rehearsal is as good as playing it...apparently (not).  

All the rests

Preparation for a rehearsal,
at 6.12pm

Day 283: Another concert

Day 283 (15 Sept) Sunday. Concert day.

There is a concert today, out at Oxley, at a place we regularly play. I play with both the clarinet group and again with the Orchestra. Today is the clarinet choir. 

The foggy start

Still, it is a Sunday morning so essential to be reading at 6.12, a book about the recently replaced first female prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard...but this is not the politics blog, so the less said...

It is an interesting little book, a kind of addendum to an earlier biography when we imagined Ms Gillard might have had an untrammelled go at being PM but for small(minded) men. 

Reading, of course, at 6.12am

 Me and my trees, though; the morning fog was ethereal and the size and strngth of the one at the venue just had to be captured. Magnificent. The outdoor structures have been built around it to accommodate its size. Thankfully. 

Tree outside the concert venue

And then, at the other end of the 612 day, we are beginning to see the changes in light as the day begins to lengthen. 

And if there is no other point to this exercise than that, to see the subtleties in the day-to-day, then I'd be happy with that. 

Night falls, at 6.12pm

Day 282: Saturdays

Day 282 (14 Sept) Saturday. 

The laundry dragonfly, at 6.12am

If I'm not rehearsing clarinets on a Saturday morning, then I must be...in the laundry, washing, cleaning, or just looking at dragonflies.

And as the day drew on, it was over to a friend's place as we headed off for an evening of music. That's always a nice thing to do. 

Dusk, at 6.12pm

Even if there is still a final version of a soon-to-be conference paper. 

Day 281: More work beckons

Day 281 (13 Sept) Friday: Keep on keeping on

But first, breakfast and lunch-making. And watering the bonsai, one last leaf. And then it was back to work, preparing the paper for the conference ahead. 

Breakfast, or lunch?
at 6.12am

At the end of the day, it was off to order pizzas for the pizza night, waiting under the glaring light of the shopping centre car park. 

Last leaf, at 6.12am

Well, I wasn't promising glamour for every day of this project now was I. Was I? 

The wait, at 6.12pm

Day 280: A break, of sorts.

Day 280 (12 Sept) Thursday. A break, but not as you know it.

Skyward, at 6.12am

We can't get away from comparing the early dawn pics. A few on twitter sharing around the views from their backyards. Mine at 6.12am. It is getting lighter, faster. 

End of the day, end of the week,
at 6.12pm

The day at work was...a day at work. At 6.12pm, back in the office, teaching just having finished. Next week is the semester break. So that means putting the notes away for a week or so. But not a rest from work. I've got a conference coming up (in Perth) and the National Council for the union in a couple of weeks. That's more preparation for different things ahead. An academic's work is never done. 

Day 279: More work

Day 279 (11 Sept) Wednesday. Less play.

Bonsai, at 6.12am

Well into the semester grind now. Japanese class first up then talking about East Asian security in the afternoon and into the evening. As you do. Watering the bonsai at 6.12am as well as taking in the early light of the 6.12am time of day. Nice after all the darker starts and summer is on its way. 

Dawn, at 6.12am

I've very much become acclimatised to the dawn side of the day. Very pleasant time. 

At 6.12pm, still in a tute, as we work through the John Dower text on war. I think it is proving to be an interesting and challenging text, as it should be. 

Tutoring at 6.12pm

   Back in the office, and I note with a wry smile that an email has arrived, from twitter, with recommendations to follow ABC Arts...at 6.12pm! But of course. 

Thanks twitter...

Day 278: Promising

Day 278 (10 Sept) Tuesday. New shoots?

New shoots? at 6.12am

The bonsai has featured here once or twice. During its winter spell, I dared trim the branches as was required, with much trepidation. I'm no gardener but I followed instructions instincts. I worried as it lay dormant all winter but it appears I may now be reaping rewards. It does appear there are two new shoots here...let's keep our fingers crossed. 

On the phone, at 6.12pm

And if it is Tuesday...I must be in my office after a day of classes and one-on-one supervision of students doing advanced research projects. Two days of lecturing and tutes ahead...time to wrap up the preparation of those classes. I appear to have been on the phone right at or time, multitasking as we say in the classics. I was listening to the convo, really. 

On to home, rinse, repeat.