It's been a while since I posted. I haven't been in the mood. Or rather, I have been in too many moods, most of them too negative to want to write about anything. I feel somewhat better today, so I'll make an effort before the gloom descends again. The photo above was one of the several hundred I took at Ueno Peony Garden a few weeks ago. My friend very kindly gave me a ticket to see it. The night before I went, Tokyo was lashed by heavy rain, which resulted in many of the flowers being three parts pulverised. This didn't effect my photographic opportunities - I took pictures of them anyway, wrecked or otherwise. In fact, some of the flowers looked pretty dramatic, streaked with huge smears of pollen from the rain.

A while back I decided to start reading more classic literature. Most of the things I've read this past couple of years have come from the cheap bin at the Blue Parrot Bookshop, and they are typically Oprah Winfrey Book Club recommendations. So, I have started reading "Moby Dick". Herman Melville sure knew about whaling. As my friend said, "A novel is a story; an epic is a world - and this is an epic." I like the Lovecraftian atmosphere and the odd range of characters. Who knows what might happen, but I sense it won't be anything good...

I've also been watching a lot of DVDs recently. Patti Smith, Paul Klee (I like documentaries) and a couple of films here and there. I came upon an old version of Doctor Who with a completely mis-cast Peter Cushing in the title role. Now, I love Peter Cushing, and would happily pay good money to watch him paint a garden shed, but he should never have made this. Not even the presence of a young Bernard Cribbins and a fleet of bleeting daleks could save this film. I do like Patti Smith, I have to say. I could get on with her. I feel she is placid and wouldn't annoy me.

Life is pretty dull these days. I realise that somehow I have again ended up with no social life whatsoever. This is how it was four years ago, before I got my present job. Then, for a couple of happy years, I had a great time, but now I am back to a schedule of ten hours a day at the office and then a few hours free time alone at home at night and then cleaning and shopping and seeing no one except my husband at the weekend. It is thoroughly miserable and no wonder I have been depressed recently. People in Tokyo don't live, they just exist.

Anyway, I am tired, so I will stop here. Time to read some more Moby Dick and then get eight hours sleep.