Working together

This is so very exhilarating. John and I have been selecting and analysing clips from his Australian videos in our shared apartment on the edge of Perth. Today we tutored the first event of our October-November tour. We're confident the first day's gone well, with spontaneous applause at the end. As lecturers and tutors we complement one another, as did the mix of Australian and British teaching material. Although I've invariably been supported in my research and teaching at inlogov, in thirty years John Martin is the first to experiment with my various ways of making sense - or trying to make sense - of political-management relations, more than my equal in passing on what he's learned to practitioners, because so good at gaining rapport with his audience. I can get so involved in ideas, I overlook the truth that they can never come to practical life if not enthusiastically communicated to the people who might find them valuable.

Writing - a link that goes to writing on Google.docs

Thinking + illustrations one and two - links that go to

transcripts and films of political-management conversations

Tomorrow we fly on to Darwin for the second of our joint seminars. Today it was really nice - in a fine teaching room at Belmont Council Offices - to click on the thumbnail of a video from an Australian political management pair - Mayor and Chief Executive from Wyndham - and to show and discuss it with seminar participants, among them quite a few chief executives, one with his Mayor. After that, extracts from other videos - Marion and Toodyay - which John has made with help from Annie Guthrie, his partner, were slipped into our programme to compare with the films I'd bought from UK. The process was smooth - reward for much joint planning with John, via email and skype, before getting to Australia, followed by rehearsal and planning in our lodgings. I feel pleasantly exhausted with time to phone Lin, my mother and the office where I joked with Sue and asked her to pass on thanks to everyone who'd helped with the Japan local government course.

We deserve to share these smiles

Dear Dhiaa. I've been in Australia for four days. When I was in Singapore for an hour on the way I went into the prayer room at the airport and they were kind enough to allow me to sit there. I made a prayer there for your safety and your family's when you return to your dear but troubled country for your Phd research. Our first seminar has just finished. It has been successful. It was strange flying over Iraq at 11000 metres the other night (see image on my airline seat screen). Kindest regards. Simon

Dear Simon. Great news indeed. Thank you for letting me know how things are going with you. I loved very much your idea of getting into the prayer room and praying to our safety. I thank you heartily and I am sure that your prayers will be accepted because they come from a loving, sincere heart. I pray that next time we both not just fly over Iraq but land there and have a wonderful time touring around different places and getting you introduced to a place you always wanted to see. Please, take care. My prayers and best wishes that your trip my be rounded safely and successfuly. Best Regards. Dhiaa

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From Mari Takano

Dear Simon. How are you in beautiful Australia? We, Japanese trainees, are now trying hard preparing for our own next visit(s) and still spending nice time in Lucas House. Please don't worry. On the coming Thursday we're going to leave here for new destinations with splendid memories of Birmingham and this university. We really appreciate you, Fay, two Chrises(!) and other kind teachers/staff for giving us unforgettable, valuable days. And you really cared about us very much, so we could always enjoy our university life and learn a lot of things. Your lectures and talking will surely help us not only on our next visits but also in our lives in Japan. Thank you very very much!!! (And I also thank your daughter. who gave me really helpful documents!) ... Please don't forget us. Mari