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Minasama ogenki deshou ka? Itsumo osewa-sama desu. It's been an awfully long time since we last spoke, and I've longed to get in touch with all of you. Life is crazy, and it seems to finds its way into the after hours and weekends as well. There's been really no time to rest and ponder anything. Everything seemed to have meshed itself together by crazy glue... and rape me of my mind in solitude. In exchange, I received endless hours of "social" interactions which I never ever dreamt of attaining. Cutting to the chase, I don't think I've ever been so "central" to power, decisions, and politics. Human Resources... in many ways... is a place of making sound judgements and being supportive of the organizational whatevers. Yes, Masa... there's not as much responsilities as being a trader and what not... but there's a greater sensual dynamaic which induce and evoke something... to which I perhaps was drawn and more. I don't know. HR in itself really didn't draw me... but being here now... there's something I can not correctly pin down... and more. Whatevers. but getting back to the more pertinent issues, everyday has been a party. I met up with people EVERY SINGLE night (different people) for two consecutive weeks. (ok, there were some overlaps) 14 consecutive days of people-peopleing. Drinking and talking and what not. Yesterday night was supposed to be my first clubbing night at "Yellow," but I ended up bailing... out of business needs. We dined in a fabulous mexican restaurant in Ebisu, and among the four of us (my boss included) we had 2 pitchers of Margaritas, and I was quickly the butt of the joke. (go figure again) It was a feast and more... and fatigue was catching up quick. jim (my boss) looked on in amazement while his NY counterpart (Karen) was bewildered at the un-professionalism, and Julia (my fellow colleague) laughed AT me and more. Strange days. Nonetheless, I invtied them to Yellow, but they all declined. Jim was off to Singapore (then Hong Kong), Karen back to NY, and Julia wanted to watch her Kimutaku. I went home and slept for 12 hours. ------------------ A lot of things seem to be happening. I just don't know where to begin. Basically, my job became my life, and everything seem to circle around this bloody thing. In my "private" life, I revisited my musical basics, and I'm bewildered at the anthology collection of Genesis. Live shows of the band in the year that I was born... and I could only say that they're marvelous. Also, David Bowie. I just got his old classic, Ziggy Stardust, and I just can not get out of his moonage daydream. A major Moonage splurge day in and out. Making my Chchchchchcanges..... ----------------- I had an interesting conversation about this with my superior two days before. That is... about Japanese culture in the more broader spectrum of light. We talked about the emporer system and the idea of "kegare," or shame. He said that it's really a shame that this notion is beginning to dwindle into oblivion. My comment basically goes the exact opposite and more into the extreme, but aside that point, the man (whose Japanese... Yusa-san... aka USELESS-san... we discussed (not debated) Japanese culture. We got nitty gritty, as I pulled out his view on "death" from this middle age man, as this is always the governing underlying subject, and getting this far in a first conversation was really remarkable... if not outright stupid. In either case, spculating Japanese culture as a subject really goes nowhere... especially if you have any dealings with it. After half a century of Japanese life, the man was still speculating... and well, really lived behind the closed walls of Japanese reality. (that means... the regulated posh life) I realize there's some heavy stuff here, and I'm trying to keep it simple... but he did hit the point that the "Japanese style" of things happen a lot through the factor of unknown... and those out of the loop... basicaly don't know. Those empowered with that knowledge thus has the power... and the emporer is empowered through the notion of power... and a Machiavellian pov, by governing BY fear. An interesting pov that I uncovered from Not-so Useless san j/k, and debating... just don't work here. I was again alarmed by this man... as I CONFRONTED him with a different way of thought, and he couldn't handle it. He raised his voice and took charge again. Wacky world. In either case, in terms of our culture "talk" we muddled the ending... and he left half in shame. A nice man nonetheless... next morning, Yusa-san resigned from his post after 15 years of service at GS. 1 down, and 4 more to go. Jim is off to Singapore tommorow... and HR is going to become a playground of cookies, tea, and other candies. This place is really something. There's always food and munchies. Wacky place. So, Japanese culture.. the bottom line seems -- to me -- something NOT to get involved. I have never been a fond advocate by any means... and this must surely strike a chord with everyone... but oh well. Perhaps a debate topic in some near future... -------- Anyhow, I'm glad I'm finally alone to do things alone. Started reading a book until my computer's completely fixed... and I hope my forthcoming days are going to be rather quiet... ------- I don't know if I wrote last time, but my NY training program got postponed -- more or less -- to early next year, and it looks like I'm going to be involved in some projects to go to LONDON sometime next year. (there's some talk of Hong Kong and Singapore as well, but these two are tentative right now.) Anyhow, it's a quiet Saturday night at the office. Never thought I'd be here to type... but I stayed in all day sleeping, so I took a walk to work (15 minutes) and decided to do some catching up. Cheers everyone... and best regards.
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