I set off for California where I am to spend the festive season. Xmas day in Okinawa is grey, rainy and cold, well, er,you know 19 degrees. I am leaving my car at the airport, so that a student whose girlfriend is flying in at about the same time, can pick it up and use it while I am away. Discussing how he can find the car he says, ” Like, just send me some photos when you park.”

I do not like to admit that I have no idea how to do this. Anyway I have just been allotted a new iPhone and I take some photos. I feel so proud as I work out how to blast them through the ether into the other guy’s phone. He messages back saying he has found the car. It is so easy but I still find it conceptually difficult. I mean how do photos travel through the air and how do they find their way to another phone? Actually I think I could just about explain how, but I marvel.

Anyway, I sit in the lounge reading the Japan Times and sure enough on the front page there is the article outlining that yesterday the Abe cabinet doubled our university’s annual budget.

I celebrate budget increase with Santa’ helpers

Hooray! Nice end to a very satisfactory year in Okinawa. California here I come.

Happy Yuletide to all!