End of Summer

The summer break has ended. The children have returned to school. The trees are beginning to change to paler greens in their transformation to the brilliant reds and greens of autumn.

I have returned to school. The new pace has taken some adjusting. I find myself waking with Lt at his normal

time of 4:30 since I must prepare for my day and ride a train to the campus. As easy as a train ride may sound, it is not. First, it is crowded. Do not allow the advertisements for the efficient Japanese train system to fool you with their pictures of a comfortable spacious transportation system.

It is efficient but can be terribly uncomfortable, especially in the morning. I must also ride 3 different trains; Keikyu Line to Asakusa Line to Hibiya line. Should I miss a transfer (these trains wait not one moment past schedule departure) I must wait for the next one which is only 5 minutes behind the one I missed.

Leaving Little One with daycare has been traumatic... for me. I have feelings I abandon him and how terrible he must feel as he is left with strangers.  Lo seems not to be upset for it but still, it is my good fortune that I need not be present for the leaving of Lo there. This is good fortune strictly by my definition since it means I need not see Lo, nor myself, become weepy at the parting. This duty falls on Lt since I must leave before daycare is available for drop off. What will be done when Lt is underway is not known yet. That detail remains unsettled. It is to me that pick up is assigned. I prefer this since Lo is happy to see mama when I come to get him.

My summer research regimen has been helpful to prevent the new term from being overwhelming since my proposal is to be given much earlier than I had thought. I have decided to focus on new approaches in quantum-based secure communications and how they can be applied or adapted to electronic information exchange.

All I need do now is prepare a plan for when Lt is underway and the year should be quite routine.

BTW... Yuki says hello!