Shopping List

* Teeline for Journalists (Shorthand writing)
* Mandarin for Dummies (is there anything they don't do?) - still to buy
* Modern China - A Very Short Introduction (Could be interesting. It's a country full of contradictions, according to the blurb)


The three above books (when I've bought Mandarin for Dummies) should probably take up most of my time over the next four months. I feel a bit proud of myself for learning the shorthand alphabet, but to be honest that was a while ago. Since when I was a bit sidelined by work, and the occasional desire to drink a lot of alcohol. Which of course immediately destroys an entire weekends work. Still, I shall pick it up again on Thursday, owing to uni commitments today, tomorrow and Wednesday. If I can work out anyway of showing the fruits of my efforts on this blog, I shall do so.

In the meantime, I have to book several doctors appointments over the next few weeks. I have been advised to get the following vaccinations:

• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Diphtheria
  
• TB
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies (!)
• Japanese B Encephalitis
• Yellow Fever
• Tick-borne Encephalitis
  

In addition to these, I think it's probably a sensible idea to remove a couple of moles from the back of my neck, as Central Asia in the middle of summer will probably mean a lot of sun. Don't hate me England. In addition to this, I'd like to remove another small mole near my chin, which I end up cutting almost every time I shave.

Still, these would probably qualify as occupational hazards for most, just one of the ones you don't hear about. Journalism - not as glamourous as it would first appear.