Simple

A phone call from the UK. A prospect wants an interpreter in Tokyo for 30 minutes. I tell him I charge 3 hours minimum whatever. He doesn't get it.

Echoes of a potential assignment. A "very simple" assignment the prospect argues, "simple" meaning no reaons to charge expensively. Simple. What's in a word? Yet another need for a mere "linguistic helper". What will they do to justify not shelling money into that bastard costly interpreter.

A gloomy November it seems. Crisis, coming end of year? Both? 10% less inbound travelers in Narita airport. At last a tangible fact to chew on the fat of worry.

Should I go again into mentioning the Liaison Interpreting Handbook? Excellent stuff. Maybe I go commenting line by line next time. The discussion in the 12 years that passed since the publication of the book moved to community interpreting, the term "liaison" disappearing in the process as it seems. I would love to chat with the authors and hear their opinion on what happened since then.

Getting ready for next monthly meeting of the interpreters' forum. I my end up alone debating with myself. Not a single reaction to propositions, not a fart, nothing. Passivity magna. The patient is mindless, dead on arrival. Well, maybe some people will pop up but the total lack of stamina is no stamina.

Good courses yesterday. Some of the students are really good, exceptional. This is "encouraging" as they say. Courage then.