Life is Full of Surprises

Some things, however, are entirely predictable. Like birthdays - one rarely hears of someone having to take off back home for an unexpected birthday. It was mine this past 20th August. I turned 28, which in my view is a much better number than the rather scrappy 27. 28's divisible by more numbers, for one thing, and it has a sort of solidity to it that very much appeals to me. You may call that a rationalisation for the fact that I'm now unable to say I'm in my mid-twenties any more, but you'd be wrong. I think.

You'll note that that's my brother there in the right of shot; he was here for ten days or so to do research using the Columbia libraries and to travel around a bit on the east coast with a view to visiting a few museums. You'll also notice that the label on the bottle from which we're drinking says Presidente. This, apparently, is a Cuban beer, and a very appropriate one since, of course, I am the President, and President in Spanish is El Presidente. Which everyone calls me now. You see? Poetry in motion.

Anyway, celebrations were held at a few bars in Smith Street, down in Brooklyn. I recommend this as a venue for a party, since it is basically one long street with lots of funky bars and restaurants all along its length, leading at the end through downtown Brooklyn and back towards Manhattan. In attendance, all the way from London, England, was none other than Paz himself, taking a little break before starting work for Google, whose mighty empire we have to thank for this blog. Also present were the New York Miyagi crew, Fusco and Corin, as well as Kate and - naturally - myself. With hilarious consequences, as they say in sitcom world.

Props are due to Kate for getting me probably the best present in the world, a T-shirt bearing the words I'm a Legend in Japan. Hard to think of a better present, especially because by a funny coincidence I am a legend in Japan. She also got me a couple of red greasepaint pencils to use when marking papers this semester, and a 1st edition of a guide to English usage from 1942. She knows me, this one. She knows me all too well. What a fantastic girlfriend.

A few days later, Mike and I went to the batting cages at the Chelsea Piers setup to try our hand at smacking a few baseballs around. He did better than I did - he was always the better cricketer - partly since I was just playing a pull shot to almost every ball, rather than actually swinging the bat like you're supposed to. My illustrious brother took some video of me swinging away, which may - assuming he gets it to me in time - be posted on this blog so you can all take a look and have a good laugh.

Now, remember I said I didn't get the Monbusho scholarship? Seems I was wrong. Apparently, I did. I was actually placed on a reserve list, and someone this week dropped out, which means that one is now mine if I want one. Allied to the acceptance (informally) in the last couple of weeks of me as an advisee by a professor at Waseda, this means that - allowing for the possibility of some minor changes in details along the way - I will definitely be going back to Japan in the autumn of 2008 to do a year or so's research. The Man in Japan will be back - Tokyo style.

And other good stuff is happening, too. In a quite remarkable display of not-being-bureaucraticness, CU housing allowed Arunabh to do a switch and move into the room to be vacated tomorrow by my current roommate. Needless to say, given my travails with previous dormmates, I am delighted not to have to take my chances once again on the roommate lottery and have someone I know and like take up the vacant space. Much cricket will be shown in this apartment, I predict. I have a feeling this is going to be a great term...