|
|
Thursday, October 26th, 2006
|
4:14p - Beneath the Twilight Breeze
I've been rather busy this week, hence the lack of updating. Indeed, I keep meaning to update late in the evening, but I've reverted to my old nasty tendancy to fall asleep as soon as I relax, and wake up in the morning with barely enough time to get to my first lesson. I'm pushing a number of deadlines this way...
* ( Writers' Circle, writing and business )
* ( GM2115: Back to school? )
* I woke up on Wednesday around the time my 9am seminar began. I therefore ran to campus, barely awake and needing my usual moccha, and then arrived only to end up having to explain, in detail, my lack of trust in historical pre-determinism with specific regard to Napoleon's rise. It wasn't even what we were meant to be discussing, but I somehow managed it, enjoying a much-needed moccha as soon as the seminar ended.
* ( Dreaming of an alternate ScotRail )
* I just had the most gorgeous meal. It had a Mexican theme, and wasn't even intended that way, but we had Tex-Mex basmati rice and hot Nando's marinated fried chicken, so I added a few peppers, and...yum! Holly made it look beautiful as well^^ This is bearing in mind that my meals lately have consisted of such feasts as ('an apple and chocolate', 'crackers and muffins' and 'super noodles'...
* Blast Torchwood for scuppering my plans last-night.
* There is a video games show in Nottingham this weekend. Richard Jacques will be giving piano recitals of Sonic themes and a few other Sega melodies as well. I can't be there. This is extremely screamworthy, so rather than cry, I'll just laugh at the locational irony and bad timing.
* E-mails, e-mails, phone-calls, phone-calls, research, translation, etc etc etc...
current mood:  drained
current music: Counting Crows - Hey Mrs Potter (1 comment |comment on this)
|
5:01p - Tokugawa Scribblings
What role did America play in the Opening of Japan in the 1850s?
--let me break that down--
What role did America play, as opposed to other powers?
~British Pressure ~Russian Pressure ~Previous Attempts ~Most-Favoured Nation Clause
What role did America play, as opposed to internal circumstances?
~Socioeconomic Changes ~Political Circumstance
Why did America open Japan?
~Pacific Neighbours ~Coal Refueling Station ~Unclaimed by other Powers
How did America open Japan?
~Commodore Perry: 'guboat diplomacy using someone else's gunboats', don't mention trade!
~Townsend Harris: Opium War, Treaties
To what extent was Japan opened?
~Sonno-Joi ~Stalling Tactics ~Comparison with China
Why was Japan closed in the first place?
~17th Century Christianity ~Trade: 'Gain trinkets, Lose vitalities' ~Tradition ~Harmony
What happened when Japan was opened?
~Bombardments: Satsuma and Choshu ~The Meiji Restoration ~(briefly) Rise of Imperialism
As you can see, a lot of these themes overlap, and I've got to built a coherent arguement of this. I'll get there: I've just complicated things by using way too many sources.
current mood:  thoughtful
current music: Ortiga - Inner Universe (4 comments |comment on this)
|
|
|
|