Basic skills & Dream

...This is about a few years ago.

When one of my American co-workers, Mark, asked me as usual,
"Hey Keiko, what's new?" I was dying to tell someone about this exciting news.
"Well, don't be surprised! Two of my acquaintances got a Novel Prize!!"
Mark couldn't stop being surprised.
"WHAT!?? That's huge!!!"

Yes, as you know, two Japanese Novel winners this year.
Both of them (and one more American professor ) were credited for unlocking carbon's potential through palladium-catalyzed cross coupling...which I have no idea what they're talking about... to get Novel Prize in chemistry.

Distinguished Professor, Eiichi Negushi of PURDUE(!) University, and Emeritus Professor, Akira Suzuki of HOKKAIDO (!) University, once researched that at Purdue, under their mentor, the late Herbert Brown, an American chemist who received the Novel Prize himself in 1979. Herbert Brown Nominated them to the Novel Prize, that made them winners finally this year.

If you're my friend, you might already notice...
PURDUE!!! I had lived for four years and a half in West Lafayette, in Indiana, in America. Purdue University is exactly located in the city!! I went to Purdue-affiliated English school (actually, I gave a lecture once at Purdue about Japanese culture!!) and took some classes there. Of course, the classes I took were not clever chemical ones, but crazy theatrical ones...

Also, just after I started to live in West Lafayette, I met Mrs. Negishi.
Mrs. Negishi is actually my hubby's company's interpreter who helps Japanese families when they go to hospital or school. Just after I went to America, I had some small health troubles, so she took me to the hospital. I asked her to do that just a few times because soon I started to go to hospitals by myself to practice my English...but she was so nice that she invited me to her house ( I mean, the Prof. Negishi's house which was often broadcast when they got interviews!!) several times.
The house was MUCH more gorgeous than you saw on TV...and Mrs. Negishi is so open-minded and unique that she took me to the house tour even to their private bedroom!!

My hubby was in charge of hiring interpreters stuff, so he used to talk to Mrs. Negishi often, and went to her house several times. I have never met Prof . Negishi himself, but my hubby has met him at the company's party.

On the other hand, Prof. Suzuki, works for Hokkaido University.
I'm from Hokkaido, lived near Hokkaido University. My brother graduated from Hokkaido University (unfortunately, not me though, ) and my father had worked there for almost 40 years!!
Prof. Suzuki was from a small city, Mukawa cho, in Hokkaido.
In front of the Prof's parents house is...my uncle's house!!
I have never met Prof. Suzuki himself, but my uncle has known him for a long time.
Mukawa cho is such a small city, but after the fascinating Novel news, many TV crews visited Mukawa. My uncle runs a bookstore, boutique, and drag store in Mukawa.
He got marvelous news of his old friend, and also much more customers to his stores.

That was great to share this vibrant news with my hubby, my friends who lived in West Lafayette, and my family in Hokkaido.
Moreover, it was great to hear the winner's delightful winning speeches.
I was especially impressed by what Prof. Negishi said.
"Lads and lassies, have a big dream and sharpen your basic skills. If you keep doing these, your big dream will come true like me. I had been chasing my dream for 50 years, now today, finally it came true!"

I know I'm no longer "a lassie," but his persuasive message got me.

HAVING A BIG DREAM. ...and, SHARPEN YOUR BASIC SKILLS.

He is absolutely right! If we keep doing the two diligently, every single day, anyone can be successful, I believe...

But the thing is, "keeping those EVERY SINGLE DAY" is not so easy.
Even 10 years sound very long to me, but look at him( I mean, two of them!) 50 YEARS!!

...Basis skills and Dream. I repeated the words to myself. B and D...
There's such a great deal that I might not be able to follow all the time...
But so far, just go on...working for...my B & G.

My B&G!? ...Bride and Groom!???