Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Shutoku

Today I opened a new blog. But I'll be writing in Japanese here. My parents doesn't have a computer at home. Probably they don't know how to access internet and how to write an e-mail, specially my mom. I asked my sister to buy a computer for them. But it seems like my sister is very busy and didn't have time to buy it. Hopefully and eventually they will have one. It's easy to communicate, you know? But they don't use this technology.

I wrote in English in my main blog because I don't want it to be exclusive to Japanese readers only. Plus sometimes I now feel strange writing in Japanese because Japanese expression is not simple. So it's much easier to write in English. However from the Japanese people's point of view, it might be hard to read, specially my parents, So I decided to open one.

My secondary blog concept is in "chat mode". I will not write what I decide to write. I will write whenever I want to write. Maybe a few paragraph or maybe more. Basically no picture. Just simply writing. However even if it's very simple, it may show more of my true self.

So let's see..

Oh..by the way.. you may be wondering what "Shutoku" means? It's still derived from my name, Hidenori. It is a combination of 2 chinese characters. As I said, if I do a word-for-word translation, it means "Excellent Virtue" where my main blog title originated. We have 2 ways to read chinese characters in Japan. One is for Japanese reading and the other is the Chinese-derived reading. So if I read my 2 chinese characters by Japanese reading, it will be pronounced as "Hidenori". However if I read them by the Chinese-derived reading, it will be pronounced as "Shutoku". So I picked "Shutoku" for my Japanese blog.

It's hard to understand Japanese, right?

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

The world trend

Finally today was a calm day at work...Today is the due date for the assignment. No more annoyance from other people. So now I could do my own assigned work. My boss gave me the assignment which was to research the gasoline expense and dividends. I alloted 1 day time budget for this assignment. I already knew the result for gas and dividend. Also, as I said, since my work is mainly analysis work, it is not too difficult for me to accomplish this. Plus I already had an idea how to approach this request, too. So 1 hour time budget is enough to put the information together into a report. So I mainly concentrated on the supporting documents. Everybody knows why the gas expense is high because the price is high.. Why high? Everybody thinks because of war. Are you sure? Is this mainly the reason? Anything else? That's my starting point. So I started researching the background about the gas price from internet. ha... It means I am in a writing mode today. As I said, my original major was journalism and I love writing. Whenever I started, I totally forget the time.

In the middle of my research, I don't know why our company decided to do duct cleaning yesterday and today..I had to evacuate from our department area. So..can't help.. I grabbed the papers that I printed and left from that area. Then I was reading these papers in the safe and quiet area.

Almost 2 hours later, they finished cleaning. Then I started printing the rest of the papers and read the remaining one. Afterwhich I started making the supporting documents. I tried to visualize these documents because I knew my boss doesn't have time to read everything.. That's why.. if other people is panicing, it makes me irritated but it's also funny same time. Don't need to panic.. Don't need to check very detail. Just need to make summary and visualize. In other words, don't do "not seeing the trees in the forest. "

I finished it almost 1pm.. oh my.. lunchtime is almost over. See? whenever I am in writing mode, I easily forget the time. I will not talk about the details but even if the subject is about gas, I summarized the world trend from my research. Also I strongly believe we can't survive by ourselves...we can't operate the company by ourselves. In reality, we are always affected by the world trend no matter what the case. It might be by artificial matter. It might be due to mother of the nature. Whenever we live, we can't avoid these world trends. Therefore, we have to take it seriously and then figure the best solution in cooperation with other people.

Monday, December 20, 2004

Safe!!!

A's tendered a 1 year contract to Byrnes... So not yet..but he is practically safe... I think the arbitration was due yesterday.. If he will sign this contract, he will play next season. If not, arbiter will decide.

Hopefully he will sign and play with the A's...

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Workout?

When I go to the gym and use the treadmill, it sometimes happened.

The person next to me is watching my time, distance, and calories..Usually I just think 'whatever'.. I don't care..how he/she is doing. I keep my slow pace and finish my target which is 2 miles and 200 calories. However when I went there just recently, this guy.. yeah I know he was running a little fast.. feel like he tried showing he is very good or something... " Whatever.. " Don't care.. But he is watching my results so many time.. geee.. stop it!!Don't make me serious... That's what I am thinking.. still watching... ok ok ok... He wants to compete.. geee... can't help.. I start running max power... 1.. 2.. 3!!!

I thought he is surprised... and he knew he can't compete w/ me because I am fast. That's why I am saying. Don't try to compete w/ me like that.. I used to belong in a track and field team when I was in high school. I trained in the mountain everyday. I was running in the mountain..So it's up and down so many times. Compared w/ that hard training, treadmill is nothing. Even if I already retired, I can still run fast and my legs are still all muscle.

Then this guy quit using treadmill.. Then start talking to people behind us..

huh??? It sounds like 2 girls.. So he just wants to show he is good in front of these girls. Geee... Stupid!!!

I didn't plan running too long.. But I ended up running 35 min. Usually 20min. geeee...almost double.

Chuetsu Donation

Next photos are Chuetsu (Niigata) area.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

This area in Japan had a big earthquake in the end of October and people in this area are still staying in temporary accommodations. When I heard about this earthquake, I noticed one of village which is Yamakoshi-mura was the place in one of the Japanese drama shown last year. The drama show's name is "Kokoro".

This drama's main locations are Chuetsu and Asakusa.

They often visit Chuetsu area. As main actress, Noriko Nakagoshi, thought, I felt same thing,too. These places are beautiful. But the chuetsu earthquake happened. I felt bad because I couldn't do anything. However her management company and she took action. They want to help people in Chuetsu area and established the Chuetsu Donation fund. Then she brought these donation there last week.

I saw the news and I am impressed. After they finished drama, she is still impressed how beautiful the place is and really wants to help restore and stabilize the disaster area. So that's why they decided to collect donation. I think this place is attached to her.

Motormouth

Last night, I was worked at home until 2am. Finally I finished what I had to do until last Thursday. If no one really bother me during the week, I didn't need to work last night or the weekend. Plus.. I keep saying I was busy and that I can't help them right now.. But some people still didn't get it or understand and are coming at me on panic mode..In my mind this is what I really wanted to tell them-- First of all, don't be scared what the boss said.. You just do your best within human capacity and not think that you are one super robot. They panic like they are dying if they can't finish their task correctly on time. I know it's better to finish perfectly on time but sometimes it can't be help.. So I know people need my help..But I still gave this person the info he needed from the little time I can spare for it and reminded this person that I am busy and also in the middle of a deadline.. But " Can I have a meeting?? " F*** off!!! I already helped and spent time a lot for this person. Also I really hate a meeting as I said.. The meeting didn't create ANYTHING. Just use your brain!! These type of person didn't understand at all because they thought they are always the center of the world. If I help, that's good this person can finish his work before due date. But as I keep saying I am BUSY!!! So I will not be able to finish my work until due date even if this person finished!! It's totally not fair.. The boss thought this person did well, but I didn't... This person is still asking " Will you come in on Saturday? " " Will you come in on Sunday? " " No I will not (I really want to come in!! but you keep bothering me, I will work at home!!!) " geeeee... sooo annoying..never learn anything. This person came to our company from an accounting firm. Of course if they visit the clients, they will help you...But YOU are not working Accounting firm ANYMORE!!! GET REAL!! Prepare by yourself!! geeee.... So I need at least one day to finish my boss's request ( Due is next Tuesday). So I had to finish work for last Thursday due during weekend. I need at least one day's rest.. So I forced myself to finish my work last night.

I usually woke up around 6am during weekend. Since I slept late last nite, I woke up a little late aroud 8am. Then I sort and organized DVDs in the family room of what I recorded long time ago and prepared for next year. Then I rested again.. during late breakfast while watching TV.. I saw this show on VH1 called Motormouth.

Good... This show helped reduce my anger... The show is catching people's candid actions inside their cars. They hide cameras in front of the driver and catch them in action. Then they pick who is the best motormouth by state. If you are driving, what will you do?? Nothing?? Com'n!! Don't be shy!! Everyone does something. OK...If I tell you what I do in the car, will you tell me? I do.. singing..and dancing.. moving one hand and/or both hands w/ songs...oops.. screaming, too. When I stop at a signal, the driver behind of me might be wondering what I am doing because my car is shaking A LOT and he/she can see I am dancing.. hahaha.. That's what I do.. I thought I am one of the worst performer in the car.. a lot of people worse than ....oops..I should say better than me. They are really good.. I am impressed..

and good... I found an idea from them..hahaha...

Saturday, December 18, 2004

You, too?

Geee... I can't believe it!!!! A's trade not only Hudson but also Mulder!!! They tradedMulder too!



I think A's will not want to be a champion anymore. I know A's still has Zito.. But you never know.. They might trade him, too. It seems A's has a trend. They trade players to their hometown team or near their hometown team. Hudson came from Georgia. So they traded him to Atlanta then replaced him with native California players. Then Mulder came from Illinois. So they trade him to St. Louis which is near Illinois. I am sooo shocked.. I think A's didn't have money. I thought if Hudson left, they have money to hold other 2 from big 3.. But they had to let him leave... You know he got most winning pitches this year and contributed to the A's victory very well.. geeee.. but they let him go!!!! I am very confused... I know this is a business.. but this is totally against A's fan's liking. Now we never know... Even if Byrnes unexpectedly did well this year and even if he is most popular player in A's, they might let him go too. This year.. he is almost minimum salary in major league and his contract is until this year. So as I said, he did well this year unexpectedly. A's will make several years' contract with a high salary or let him go, too. In his case, MLB might arbitrate his salary. If the team didn't like it,they might let him go.

Bye Bye Hudson...



Bye Bye Mulder...



I will not be able to watch this scene next year...



and my toys and cards....at home, still shows the A's spirit.