Begin

It`s been brewing for some time now, and had a false start four years ago during an ill-conceived attempt to document the life of a young Marks & Spencers employee, but today I have finally put my name down and started a blog. Things have moved on since the M&S heydays, and I now feel I have a little more to offer the blog world.

I may justify it by claiming that it`s a way to keep people up to date with what I`m up to out here in Japan, but if I`m honest, it`s really just an excuse to massage my own ego by convincing myself that somebody might be interested in what I have to write. Just like this blog lark is for everyone else.

Having said that, I don`t want to get ahead of myself, and there remains the strong possibility that, as with most things in life, I will quickly lose interest in the blogging game, and this will stand alone as my single coherent entry. We shall see.

To reiterate then: I am in Japan. Have been for the last six months. I like Japan quite a bit. That`s worth stating at the outset I feel, if only to serve as a counterpoint to the inevitable moaning and whinging about aspects of the lifestyle out here that will surely become a regular feature of this page (if this page doesn`t go the way of blog mark 1 that is). I really do like it here; I`ve put my name down for a second year and everything.

So, for those of you who have been holding out for an email update from me since the summer, this is where to come from now on, and your comments would be much appreciated. Also, if you enjoy largely ill-informed ramblings on the state of Arsenal football club and my man-love for a certain Cesc Fabregas of said club, you are in luck, as they are likely to be fairly regularly interspersed amongst the updates on the weather.

Speaking of which – it`s been snowing.

Tom.