A happy new year!
Have you been welcoming 2012 nicely?
I've been visiting my in-law's house in Mie, as usual, having a relaxing time in a quiet city.
I haven't posted new articles since September.
My emcee job got busy since October, so I just neglected to write my stuff.
However, since the new year is coming, I would like to look back the last year and make resolutions for the next year...as ritual.
In 2011, I restarted my emcee job like on regular basis. ( I started doing it in 2010, but it was from fall, so there were not many jobs at that time.)
Also, I increased my classes to teach English. Therefore, last year, probably I worked the most since I got married.
I'm proud of myself that I didn't miss any work and kept staying healthy. I had never caught a cold last year.
However, in 2012, I would like to work more!
I have a specific goal of an annual income as a business woman. To achieve it, I need to be chosen from more clients.
To make my goal come true, I should sharpen my skills.
My English, my Japanese story-telling skills, emcee skills, teaching ones...
But to get any business successful, I suppose communication skills are more important.
I have tried to connect my students and clients. I need to keep doing it with more concentration and determination, to make them satisfied with my service.
Actually, hopefully, I would like to build personal relationships with some clients who were truly clicked with me.
This might not be a typical or effective business theory, but...I believe it's a kind of fate to meet my clients. If we become close even after our business has done, that means we are attracted as friends. I think that's wonderful!
So, I try to keep communicating, contacting my clients this year.
I'll keep trying to understand them, and also I need to open myself to make them understand me, to get my jobs done more easily.
Although I make new-year's resolutions every year, I tend to forget them soon...
To prevent it this year, I will write my resolutions ( I think there are SO many resolutions in several categories...to keep my blog an ATTRACTIVE one as possible as I can, I will not write detailed here!) in my pocket book, and take a look at them.
Probably, "Don't forget new year's resolutions!" is my new year's resolution in 2012!!
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Monday, September 12, 2011
Survival
Exactly ten years ago, my hubby and I just got married.
One night, when he watched a news TV program, lying on a Futon to be ready to sleep, he muttered.
"...What's the hell this is? What is happening!?"
We watched the scene that two airplanes were crashing the World Trade Center in NY.
It was like a Hollywood movie's scene, but we knew it was not. It was real.
We spontaneously cuddle each other without saying a word. We had never experienced the fear. The fear was the apprehension that something worst would happen worldwide, it might affect our lives in Japan, too.
...It has been 10 years since then.
During the decade, we lived in America that seemed a different world to us.
Although we lived a small city in Indiana, a still "different world" from NY, we gradually figured out how this crucial terrorism attack had affected Americans.
Then, two days ago, I read two news articles.
One is; the interview of the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm, Howard Lutnick.
His company's office was located on 101th-105th floors of the North World Trade Center.
He lost all of his fellows who were working at the office then. The casualties were 658, out of the whole 960 employees. His brother was one of them.
On that day, Howard was delayed getting to the office because he had taken his son to his first day of kindergarten. The delay saved him.
However, the surviving boss had to live another crucial life.
Since the day, he had attended 30 funerals PER DAY for 25 days in a row.
He suffered from insomnia. On sleepless nights, he wrote 1,700 letters to his fellow victim's families.
If I were him, I would go crazy.
However, he was a very determined leader.
He had hired about 35 new employees every week to revive his company. Some of them were children of his fellow victims.
Just after 9/11, he announced he would dedicate 25% (eventually, 1.8 million dollars) of the company's profit to the victim families for 5 years and their medical insurance for 10 years.
Then, he made those promises come true as he said!
His story tells us how people could be strong even in such a catastrophic situation.
However, the other article about 9/11 showed us how vulnerable we could become, as well.
It is said that the number of people who had PTSD (Post Traumatic System Disorder) has increased a lot AFTER 5 years of 9/11. It means if we work too hard after a disaster, we might collapse even time has passed.
The two side stories made me think a lot.
If I happen to experience such a calamity unfortunately, should I believe in my strong side or should I care for my vulnerable side?
To protect my family, which side should I focus on?
Probably, I need to know about myself. I should watch & care for my family day by day, then I could give the best advice to them, maybe.
The most important thing is; if we survive from a disaster, we should keep living.
The pace depends on the person, but we shouldn't stop ourselves try to move on.
To every victim on 9/11, all of my condolences to you.
To every survivor of that, all of my best wishes to you.
One night, when he watched a news TV program, lying on a Futon to be ready to sleep, he muttered.
"...What's the hell this is? What is happening!?"
We watched the scene that two airplanes were crashing the World Trade Center in NY.
It was like a Hollywood movie's scene, but we knew it was not. It was real.
We spontaneously cuddle each other without saying a word. We had never experienced the fear. The fear was the apprehension that something worst would happen worldwide, it might affect our lives in Japan, too.
...It has been 10 years since then.
During the decade, we lived in America that seemed a different world to us.
Although we lived a small city in Indiana, a still "different world" from NY, we gradually figured out how this crucial terrorism attack had affected Americans.
Then, two days ago, I read two news articles.
One is; the interview of the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm, Howard Lutnick.
His company's office was located on 101th-105th floors of the North World Trade Center.
He lost all of his fellows who were working at the office then. The casualties were 658, out of the whole 960 employees. His brother was one of them.
On that day, Howard was delayed getting to the office because he had taken his son to his first day of kindergarten. The delay saved him.
However, the surviving boss had to live another crucial life.
Since the day, he had attended 30 funerals PER DAY for 25 days in a row.
He suffered from insomnia. On sleepless nights, he wrote 1,700 letters to his fellow victim's families.
If I were him, I would go crazy.
However, he was a very determined leader.
He had hired about 35 new employees every week to revive his company. Some of them were children of his fellow victims.
Just after 9/11, he announced he would dedicate 25% (eventually, 1.8 million dollars) of the company's profit to the victim families for 5 years and their medical insurance for 10 years.
Then, he made those promises come true as he said!
His story tells us how people could be strong even in such a catastrophic situation.
However, the other article about 9/11 showed us how vulnerable we could become, as well.
It is said that the number of people who had PTSD (Post Traumatic System Disorder) has increased a lot AFTER 5 years of 9/11. It means if we work too hard after a disaster, we might collapse even time has passed.
The two side stories made me think a lot.
If I happen to experience such a calamity unfortunately, should I believe in my strong side or should I care for my vulnerable side?
To protect my family, which side should I focus on?
Probably, I need to know about myself. I should watch & care for my family day by day, then I could give the best advice to them, maybe.
The most important thing is; if we survive from a disaster, we should keep living.
The pace depends on the person, but we shouldn't stop ourselves try to move on.
To every victim on 9/11, all of my condolences to you.
To every survivor of that, all of my best wishes to you.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Invisible tethers
...I know I haven't updated my blog since March!
Aftermath of the mega earthquake, literal aftershocks, mess after the nuclear plant's accident, afterthoughts of my jobs....
There are so many things that I want to talk to you.
But right now, let me quote lines of my favorite TV show, Glee's latest (in Japan) episode.
Sue, who is a mean cheerleading's director, always trying to crash glee club's activities, just lost her sister. Her sister, Jean, is with down syndrome. Sue has taken care of Jean instead of their busy mom, but actually, Jean had healed a lot Sue by her pure heart.
When Jean passed away, Sue was devastated and she made a speech at Jean's funeral.
And that couldn't stop my eyes to well up.
"I miss my sister. Every night at 10, she used to call me on the phone. I asked why, she told me that her body told her. She wanted to hear my voice.
I miss my sister. The smell of her shampoo. I wish she could always convince me to read her another book.
When you love someone like I loved her, they are a part of you. It's like attached by invisible tethers. No matter how far away you are, you could always feel them. And every time when I reach for the tether, now I know there is no one in the end and I feel like I'm falling into nothing this.
Then I remember Jean (her deceased sister.) I remember her life let her have no enemies, no resentments, no regrets, I'm inspired. ...Get up from bed and go on. But I miss my sister so much. It feel like pieced of me ripped off.
Just one more time, I wanna hold her. Ten more seconds. It that too much to ask? Ten more seconds to hold her... But I can't. And I won't. The only thing keeping me from being swallowed by the hole of sadness, is that Jean would kill me if I did.
So for now, I'm just gonna miss her. I love you, Jennie. Rest in peace. "
After the funeral, a boy who was so impressed by Sue's speech, broke up with her girlfriend because he thought he couldn't find the "tether" between them.
I think it's so hard for young people to feel that for anyone... But the older we get, basically... the more we (are supposed to ) learn how we could find the tethers, and how important they are.
Who are there at the end of your tether? No "a tether, tethers. Plural. There must be not only one.
Your mother, father, siblings, relatives, of course your boy/girlfriend, wife, husband...
Sometimes it is difficult to notice the tethers even with families. But you know, as long as you are related in blood, somehow, you need to connect with your families.
However, what about our life partners? One day, my husband made a joke, "we're family. Why aren't we related?" That's the catch of marriage. That's the catch of romance.
Even we had lived together for a long time, we could be "strangers" once our tethers are cut off.
That's why, we really need to work hard to keep the tethers connect. Don't take it for granted
there is someone who aren't related, at the end of your tether.
It's one of biggest jobs in our lives to find who are at the end our tethers, other than original family members.
It's silly, but sometimes, I had a bad dream. In the dream, I just agonize about not having a partner. Then, I woke up in the real world. In the real world, I have many people who are at the end of my tether... My parents, brother, relatives, and especially, I feel really grateful that my husband is sleeping peacefully beside me, and his parents always care for us.
Of course I know sometimes we need time being ourselves alone, with peace and serenity.
But... the feeling of noticing "there is someone in the end of my tether" is one of the meanings of why we're here, I can't explain enough, though...
That's why I always enjoy my wedding emcee jobs. I'm always happy to hear my friends or other people's romance or marriage news.
THEY FIND SOMEONE TO BE WITH!
Cynical people want to way, "how many percentage of them will find their decisions are mistakes?" ...Even though there will be "errors," I want to support people who are eager to "try."
...I miss my husband cause he has been visiting his parents home this weekend, but not like Jean for Sue, he's going to come back (of course!)
So, for now, I'm not gonna just miss him (not be in a sentimental feeling,) I'm gonna clean up my house not to disappoint him...to keep our tether connect!
...You know, it always needs "efforts" to live with "former strangers..."
Aftermath of the mega earthquake, literal aftershocks, mess after the nuclear plant's accident, afterthoughts of my jobs....
There are so many things that I want to talk to you.
But right now, let me quote lines of my favorite TV show, Glee's latest (in Japan) episode.
Sue, who is a mean cheerleading's director, always trying to crash glee club's activities, just lost her sister. Her sister, Jean, is with down syndrome. Sue has taken care of Jean instead of their busy mom, but actually, Jean had healed a lot Sue by her pure heart.
When Jean passed away, Sue was devastated and she made a speech at Jean's funeral.
And that couldn't stop my eyes to well up.
"I miss my sister. Every night at 10, she used to call me on the phone. I asked why, she told me that her body told her. She wanted to hear my voice.
I miss my sister. The smell of her shampoo. I wish she could always convince me to read her another book.
When you love someone like I loved her, they are a part of you. It's like attached by invisible tethers. No matter how far away you are, you could always feel them. And every time when I reach for the tether, now I know there is no one in the end and I feel like I'm falling into nothing this.
Then I remember Jean (her deceased sister.) I remember her life let her have no enemies, no resentments, no regrets, I'm inspired. ...Get up from bed and go on. But I miss my sister so much. It feel like pieced of me ripped off.
Just one more time, I wanna hold her. Ten more seconds. It that too much to ask? Ten more seconds to hold her... But I can't. And I won't. The only thing keeping me from being swallowed by the hole of sadness, is that Jean would kill me if I did.
So for now, I'm just gonna miss her. I love you, Jennie. Rest in peace. "
After the funeral, a boy who was so impressed by Sue's speech, broke up with her girlfriend because he thought he couldn't find the "tether" between them.
I think it's so hard for young people to feel that for anyone... But the older we get, basically... the more we (are supposed to ) learn how we could find the tethers, and how important they are.
Who are there at the end of your tether? No "a tether, tethers. Plural. There must be not only one.
Your mother, father, siblings, relatives, of course your boy/girlfriend, wife, husband...
Sometimes it is difficult to notice the tethers even with families. But you know, as long as you are related in blood, somehow, you need to connect with your families.
However, what about our life partners? One day, my husband made a joke, "we're family. Why aren't we related?" That's the catch of marriage. That's the catch of romance.
Even we had lived together for a long time, we could be "strangers" once our tethers are cut off.
That's why, we really need to work hard to keep the tethers connect. Don't take it for granted
there is someone who aren't related, at the end of your tether.
It's one of biggest jobs in our lives to find who are at the end our tethers, other than original family members.
It's silly, but sometimes, I had a bad dream. In the dream, I just agonize about not having a partner. Then, I woke up in the real world. In the real world, I have many people who are at the end of my tether... My parents, brother, relatives, and especially, I feel really grateful that my husband is sleeping peacefully beside me, and his parents always care for us.
Of course I know sometimes we need time being ourselves alone, with peace and serenity.
But... the feeling of noticing "there is someone in the end of my tether" is one of the meanings of why we're here, I can't explain enough, though...
That's why I always enjoy my wedding emcee jobs. I'm always happy to hear my friends or other people's romance or marriage news.
THEY FIND SOMEONE TO BE WITH!
Cynical people want to way, "how many percentage of them will find their decisions are mistakes?" ...Even though there will be "errors," I want to support people who are eager to "try."
...I miss my husband cause he has been visiting his parents home this weekend, but not like Jean for Sue, he's going to come back (of course!)
So, for now, I'm not gonna just miss him (not be in a sentimental feeling,) I'm gonna clean up my house not to disappoint him...to keep our tether connect!
...You know, it always needs "efforts" to live with "former strangers..."
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Patient, punctual, but panicky
Now it's 6:00pm, March 16. I’m writing this article, having only computer’s light and some candle lights. Currently, my living area has been under blackout. I know the blackout thing was planned beforehand because of our shortage of electric resources since we had the terrible earthquake, and sequential awful nuclear power plants' accidents. It’s weird, because I can see lots of lights outside.
Our lifeline has kind of been divided. Even though in the same city, there are “blackout areas” and “not-blackout areas,” depends on the balance of electric supply and demand. Anyway, one hour later, I’m supposed to get “the cultural life” back.
Since the unbelievable disaster happened last Friday, everything around my life has been changing. The English school I work for will have been closed until 21th. All of my wedding receptions for emceeing this weekend have been canceled. That’s awful to hear newlyweds have to postpone their wedding receptions!!
I talked with one of the brides on the phone. She couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m very very sad right now, but if we’re in our guests’ shoes…we can’t say, “please come to our wedding!” among the aftershock, confusion of blackout, and the danger of nuclear plants’ troubles.”
I truly hope the terrible situations in Japan will solve as soon as possible, and my client newlyweds can hold their weddings soon. I don’t care even if I become very busy when I get back to my businesses. When can I get back to my businesses!?? I was supposed to be very busy right now, but now, what I can do is just staying home.
I feel disappointed when I heard my school will cancel all of classes for awhile… If I work for a food company or toiletry business and so on, I would become much more busy. However, English classes are “extracurricular activity,” so under this emergency situation, I don’t have a place to work!
However, when I talked with our manager of the school, she shared heartwarming stories. “Your students are very loyal to you. Toshio came to the school just to give you White Day’s gift! Akira also stopped by the school, to pay for the next term’s tuition. Their loyal behaviors just refreshed me!”
Yes, nice people care the people who even involved with “extracurricular" business! Their stories lighten me up…and I just wondered, “they might be nice because I gave them Valentine Day’s chocolate??” I don’t know…
On Monday, when I was on the way to the school, the manager called me my classes were canceled. So, I went back to my home...when I got out of the station, I noticed so many people were making a line in front of a supermarket. What are they buying!?? Is there anything I should buy under this emergency?? I thought I had enough food, but I was just drawn by the crowd. But inside the store, there were much more people getting in lines to pay for food. I gave up to get food stocks, and left the supermarket.
But next to the supermarket, there also were lots of people, queuing to buy toilet papers. I knew I had enough toilet papers at home, but “just in case” feeling made me one of them. However, the line was much more longer than I thought, so again, I gave up to get reserves.
As international press has reported, Japanese people have been very patient & punctual even though just under this devastated situation.
However, even we’re punctual, maybe we’ve been somewhat panicky!!
We know, we shouldn’t have tried to get stocks for our own because victims in Tohoku area need them desperately.
But, under these unexpected blackouts and threat of nuclear plant’s accidents, people just run into stores, then…now, tissue papers, toilet papers, sanitary napkins, batteries, flash lights, rice, water, preserved food, are gone.
I don’t want to be panicky, but I want to be prepared for “just in case.”
Of course I would like to help people in Tohoku, but so far, to protect myself & my hubby…
When will we be go back to our real lives, like the life we can enjoy extracurricular activities and extradaily parties, like wedding receptions???
Our lifeline has kind of been divided. Even though in the same city, there are “blackout areas” and “not-blackout areas,” depends on the balance of electric supply and demand. Anyway, one hour later, I’m supposed to get “the cultural life” back.
Since the unbelievable disaster happened last Friday, everything around my life has been changing. The English school I work for will have been closed until 21th. All of my wedding receptions for emceeing this weekend have been canceled. That’s awful to hear newlyweds have to postpone their wedding receptions!!
I talked with one of the brides on the phone. She couldn’t stop crying.
“I’m very very sad right now, but if we’re in our guests’ shoes…we can’t say, “please come to our wedding!” among the aftershock, confusion of blackout, and the danger of nuclear plants’ troubles.”
I truly hope the terrible situations in Japan will solve as soon as possible, and my client newlyweds can hold their weddings soon. I don’t care even if I become very busy when I get back to my businesses. When can I get back to my businesses!?? I was supposed to be very busy right now, but now, what I can do is just staying home.
I feel disappointed when I heard my school will cancel all of classes for awhile… If I work for a food company or toiletry business and so on, I would become much more busy. However, English classes are “extracurricular activity,” so under this emergency situation, I don’t have a place to work!
However, when I talked with our manager of the school, she shared heartwarming stories. “Your students are very loyal to you. Toshio came to the school just to give you White Day’s gift! Akira also stopped by the school, to pay for the next term’s tuition. Their loyal behaviors just refreshed me!”
Yes, nice people care the people who even involved with “extracurricular" business! Their stories lighten me up…and I just wondered, “they might be nice because I gave them Valentine Day’s chocolate??” I don’t know…
On Monday, when I was on the way to the school, the manager called me my classes were canceled. So, I went back to my home...when I got out of the station, I noticed so many people were making a line in front of a supermarket. What are they buying!?? Is there anything I should buy under this emergency?? I thought I had enough food, but I was just drawn by the crowd. But inside the store, there were much more people getting in lines to pay for food. I gave up to get food stocks, and left the supermarket.
But next to the supermarket, there also were lots of people, queuing to buy toilet papers. I knew I had enough toilet papers at home, but “just in case” feeling made me one of them. However, the line was much more longer than I thought, so again, I gave up to get reserves.
As international press has reported, Japanese people have been very patient & punctual even though just under this devastated situation.
However, even we’re punctual, maybe we’ve been somewhat panicky!!
We know, we shouldn’t have tried to get stocks for our own because victims in Tohoku area need them desperately.
But, under these unexpected blackouts and threat of nuclear plant’s accidents, people just run into stores, then…now, tissue papers, toilet papers, sanitary napkins, batteries, flash lights, rice, water, preserved food, are gone.
I don’t want to be panicky, but I want to be prepared for “just in case.”
Of course I would like to help people in Tohoku, but so far, to protect myself & my hubby…
When will we be go back to our real lives, like the life we can enjoy extracurricular activities and extradaily parties, like wedding receptions???
Monday, March 14, 2011
At that time
At that time, I was dong the ironing. It was Friday, my day-off.
I was supposed to have a busy weekend. I had a kid English class to teach that day, had two meetings with my client newlyweds for wedding emceeing on Saturday, and I was supposed to take TOEIC on Sunday. When I was pressing my clothes, I didn't know the half of my schedule would be forced to change, at that time.
Then,I felt the sway. The movement didn't seem so big first, but it became much more shaky, gradually. Tableware sound cracking in cupboards. I run to them, and tried to hold the cupboards, preventing it from falling down. (Fortunately, they didn't fall down...) But the sway didn't stop.
Then, the awful image of the earthquake in New Zealand came to my mind.
People were under the debris. If I keep holding the cupboards, they might fall down over me!
...I suddenly became so scared that I screamed, "STOP! Please, somebody STOP it!!"
Now I know there was NOBODY could stop the threat of nature.
Even I felt so, here in Tokyo, where the seismic intensity was five. Now I can imagine how much people in Miyagi, the unfortunate state has most casualties, wanted to scream, "STOP! Please, somebody, STOP!!"
I screamed, and run out of my house with fear. But nobody was outside, even though there are 570 families are living in our condo. So I went back home, and hid myself under a table to protect myself.
After the shake stopped, I checked every room in my house. Almost all books popped out from book shelves, glasses and dishes broke inside the cupboards, golf bags and plants fell down... but I didn't hurt.
Maybe, there are a few times when people can look back their lives, thinking, "at that time, I might have died." It might not be so serious, but that earthquake could be counted on "at that time" moment in my life.
The more time passed, the more I got to know how serious the earthquake was.
I canceled my English class, and didn't go out at all on Friday. I thought it would affect our daily lives a lot.
But Saturday, I was actually stunned how people were working so hard as usual.
I had two meetings with newlyweds. The first couple came to the hotel earlier than our appointed time despite of the traffic confusion. They said they left home very early not to make me wait.
The second couple called me and they would be late one hour, so I had lunch at Udon noodle casual restaurant near the hotel. The restaurant ( like a fast food restaurant) was very small, the building was located just under an elevated railroad, looked very unstable.
Whenever the train passed over the railroad, the restaurant became a kind of shaky.
I didn't know whether the sway was because of the train or earthquake...I was terrified, but many servers and cooks were working very hard in the restaurant, and many business people were grabbing a bite to have a quick lunch there. I just realized, we should work to live whatever happened, especially, in a big city!
However, even though Japanese diligent state of mind hasn't been damaged, our infrastructure
has been damaged.
TOEIC has been canceled on Sunday.
Today, Monday, most big companies would start their work, so our electricity supply was supposed to run out. Therefore, the electricity company divided Kanto area (Tokyo and around other 4 states) into 5 groups, gave them quota time, and tried to stop the electrical supply at each group's quota time, taking turns. It gave us confusion.
The English school where I work decided not to have classes today at the last minute to avoid troubles, so I went back home. I don't know when my classes would start, and I'm sad to hear some of my client newlyweds have decided to cancel their wedding receptions. So, the earthquake has affected my business...but I'm fine.
I know this is a devastating accident. I feel awful for people who died, lost their family members or friends, or their houses by the earthquake and tunami.
We must look back "at this moment,"with a terrible feeling...but each one can do what we can do.
So far, I would like to do my best for the rest of my businesses and my household work.
Then, I hope I can look back "at this time," with a better feeling than now I have.
I dedicate my deepest condolences for people who died, lost or hurt by the quake.
I was supposed to have a busy weekend. I had a kid English class to teach that day, had two meetings with my client newlyweds for wedding emceeing on Saturday, and I was supposed to take TOEIC on Sunday. When I was pressing my clothes, I didn't know the half of my schedule would be forced to change, at that time.
Then,I felt the sway. The movement didn't seem so big first, but it became much more shaky, gradually. Tableware sound cracking in cupboards. I run to them, and tried to hold the cupboards, preventing it from falling down. (Fortunately, they didn't fall down...) But the sway didn't stop.
Then, the awful image of the earthquake in New Zealand came to my mind.
People were under the debris. If I keep holding the cupboards, they might fall down over me!
...I suddenly became so scared that I screamed, "STOP! Please, somebody STOP it!!"
Now I know there was NOBODY could stop the threat of nature.
Even I felt so, here in Tokyo, where the seismic intensity was five. Now I can imagine how much people in Miyagi, the unfortunate state has most casualties, wanted to scream, "STOP! Please, somebody, STOP!!"
I screamed, and run out of my house with fear. But nobody was outside, even though there are 570 families are living in our condo. So I went back home, and hid myself under a table to protect myself.
After the shake stopped, I checked every room in my house. Almost all books popped out from book shelves, glasses and dishes broke inside the cupboards, golf bags and plants fell down... but I didn't hurt.
Maybe, there are a few times when people can look back their lives, thinking, "at that time, I might have died." It might not be so serious, but that earthquake could be counted on "at that time" moment in my life.
The more time passed, the more I got to know how serious the earthquake was.
I canceled my English class, and didn't go out at all on Friday. I thought it would affect our daily lives a lot.
But Saturday, I was actually stunned how people were working so hard as usual.
I had two meetings with newlyweds. The first couple came to the hotel earlier than our appointed time despite of the traffic confusion. They said they left home very early not to make me wait.
The second couple called me and they would be late one hour, so I had lunch at Udon noodle casual restaurant near the hotel. The restaurant ( like a fast food restaurant) was very small, the building was located just under an elevated railroad, looked very unstable.
Whenever the train passed over the railroad, the restaurant became a kind of shaky.
I didn't know whether the sway was because of the train or earthquake...I was terrified, but many servers and cooks were working very hard in the restaurant, and many business people were grabbing a bite to have a quick lunch there. I just realized, we should work to live whatever happened, especially, in a big city!
However, even though Japanese diligent state of mind hasn't been damaged, our infrastructure
has been damaged.
TOEIC has been canceled on Sunday.
Today, Monday, most big companies would start their work, so our electricity supply was supposed to run out. Therefore, the electricity company divided Kanto area (Tokyo and around other 4 states) into 5 groups, gave them quota time, and tried to stop the electrical supply at each group's quota time, taking turns. It gave us confusion.
The English school where I work decided not to have classes today at the last minute to avoid troubles, so I went back home. I don't know when my classes would start, and I'm sad to hear some of my client newlyweds have decided to cancel their wedding receptions. So, the earthquake has affected my business...but I'm fine.
I know this is a devastating accident. I feel awful for people who died, lost their family members or friends, or their houses by the earthquake and tunami.
We must look back "at this moment,"with a terrible feeling...but each one can do what we can do.
So far, I would like to do my best for the rest of my businesses and my household work.
Then, I hope I can look back "at this time," with a better feeling than now I have.
I dedicate my deepest condolences for people who died, lost or hurt by the quake.
Friday, March 04, 2011
Photogenic?
One of necessaries for MCs is commercial photos. I published one at my MC office's website, but the president said, "This photo doesn't show your goodness. You should have another shooting." When I showed another photo to another MC office's president, she also said to me, "usually, photos are better. But in your case, you look 100times better than this photo. You should have another shooting!"
I know I'm not a photogenic, even though my hubby insists "you look much better in photos actually...am I saying something wrong?" In old commercial photos, my smile was awkward, my hair was not perfect, my makeup...was OK, but people can notice my age spots or wrinkles when they see them in a bigger size.
I needed to have fresh photos for a new bilingual emcee casting site, so I contacted a different photo studio not only to take my photos, but also to apply my makeup and hair-do.
The photo studio is run by a hair makeup artist who did lots of work with celebrities...so, I expected "to look better than myself."
The one who applied on my make-up was the daughter of the make-up artist.
She looked definitely younger than me, but maybe because of her professional tendency? She spoke to me like a friend. That made me comfortable, even I tend to be very nervous on shootings.
After our pleasant talks, I looked a mirror...Then, I was almost screaming to look at my "after professional make-up for photos" face. My skin was too thick by foundation, my eyes were too big by using fake eyelashes. She widen my width between double-edged eyelids, so I was like a character from a Japanese girls comic book. I had to teach my sixth grader boys after the shooting, so it was obvious how they react if they saw this face. They absolutely would make fun of me, giving me a new nickname like a Rockie horror show's character or something...
But the make-up artist said, "It's the best make-up for a shooting!"
After the photos were developed, I realized she was right. I looked like a beautiful young MC.
Because all the time the young make-up artist girl tried to make me laugh, my smile didn't look awkward at all.
After I got home, I showed my hubby those photos, proudly.
He raised his hand immediately, and said... ""We got a situation! You're not the girl whom I asked for a job on the Website. Who are you?" I guess your clients would say so if they look these photos! They are far better than real you!!"
...Oh, really? From a professional view, it might be a problem. But from one girl's view, I'm happy if I'm beautiful even just in a photo!
I brought those photos to my MC office, and asked the president to change my old photos on the Website, believing better photos are better.
But she said almost the same thing as my hubby.
"Ah.... they had you got so many lights here! You look like you're in your 20's. ...Gee, how can I say... You look cute in these photos, but if the gap between the photo and you in person is big, it might not be very good, so...I'm satisfied with your old photos."
What! You said "You look better than your photo," so I took another pictures, but now you say,"You look better in a photo, and it's not good!??"
But she's right. There are many MCs whose photos are great, and make people disappointed when they see the MCs in person....
But "just a girl" inside me, chose the "too good to be true" photo for my private cards.
...I don't care ven if people are disappointed!!!
I know I'm not a photogenic, even though my hubby insists "you look much better in photos actually...am I saying something wrong?" In old commercial photos, my smile was awkward, my hair was not perfect, my makeup...was OK, but people can notice my age spots or wrinkles when they see them in a bigger size.
I needed to have fresh photos for a new bilingual emcee casting site, so I contacted a different photo studio not only to take my photos, but also to apply my makeup and hair-do.
The photo studio is run by a hair makeup artist who did lots of work with celebrities...so, I expected "to look better than myself."
The one who applied on my make-up was the daughter of the make-up artist.
She looked definitely younger than me, but maybe because of her professional tendency? She spoke to me like a friend. That made me comfortable, even I tend to be very nervous on shootings.
After our pleasant talks, I looked a mirror...Then, I was almost screaming to look at my "after professional make-up for photos" face. My skin was too thick by foundation, my eyes were too big by using fake eyelashes. She widen my width between double-edged eyelids, so I was like a character from a Japanese girls comic book. I had to teach my sixth grader boys after the shooting, so it was obvious how they react if they saw this face. They absolutely would make fun of me, giving me a new nickname like a Rockie horror show's character or something...
But the make-up artist said, "It's the best make-up for a shooting!"
After the photos were developed, I realized she was right. I looked like a beautiful young MC.
Because all the time the young make-up artist girl tried to make me laugh, my smile didn't look awkward at all.
After I got home, I showed my hubby those photos, proudly.
He raised his hand immediately, and said... ""We got a situation! You're not the girl whom I asked for a job on the Website. Who are you?" I guess your clients would say so if they look these photos! They are far better than real you!!"
...Oh, really? From a professional view, it might be a problem. But from one girl's view, I'm happy if I'm beautiful even just in a photo!
I brought those photos to my MC office, and asked the president to change my old photos on the Website, believing better photos are better.
But she said almost the same thing as my hubby.
"Ah.... they had you got so many lights here! You look like you're in your 20's. ...Gee, how can I say... You look cute in these photos, but if the gap between the photo and you in person is big, it might not be very good, so...I'm satisfied with your old photos."
What! You said "You look better than your photo," so I took another pictures, but now you say,"You look better in a photo, and it's not good!??"
But she's right. There are many MCs whose photos are great, and make people disappointed when they see the MCs in person....
But "just a girl" inside me, chose the "too good to be true" photo for my private cards.
...I don't care ven if people are disappointed!!!
Lone Wolf or Team Player
Last night, my husband and I went to a solo puppet show. Are we interested in puppet shows? Not actually, but the actor's performance is exceptional to me. He is Norisawa. http://www.puppet-house.co.jp/nori/sawa.htm#norisawa Because he was...my homeroom teacher at high school!
When I entered a private protestant girl high school in Sapporo, I was a fussy little girl. I wanted to go to another public school, but I failed it out. That private girl school was kind of insurance for me, so I didn't feel good to go there.
However, after I go to the school and met my homeroom teacher, Norisawa, for the first time...my high school days became colorful to me. First of all, even from the first day of the school, he already knew each one's first & last names. He talked to each one, looking at each one of 40 little girls' faces. I asked him why, then he said, "you know, it's first time for me to be a homeroom teacher! You all are my first students! I was very excited, and asked my wife to read each one's name, and I tried to pick the name's photos from your entrance applications! Actually I kind of awful of remembering girls' names, so I should do that!"
But even for me, one of the girls, it seemed very hard to remember 40 girls' names perfectly. He didn't seem to have any troubles with calling our names correctly, that showed us how he had worked hard to do a "karuta" game to memorize our names. I felt sorry for having thought, " I don't want to go to this school!"
He was a very interesting art teacher. On the entrance ceremony day, he showed some puppets (later, I knew those his handmade puppets were praised very much from European artists)to us and our parents. "I'm a teacher, and actually, I'm also an amateur puppet actor. I do perform regularly. They are from my show, "Macbeth," as you know, a Shakespeare's play. In Japan, puppet show sounds like for kids, but I do it for mostly adults." He performed a little for all of us. I wondered, how many high school teachers does perform a puppet show in front of students and parents? I started to like the shcool, where he belongs.
Since then, it became my regular thing to stop by Norisawa's office after school. I told my complains for school or my parents like a fussy kid, and he started to talk about himself, too. "Teacher's job is great, and other teachers' of this school are also great...but I feel like I don't belong here sometimes. I enjoy being with all of you, so I can't explain why."
One year and a half later, Norisawa made his biggest decision of his life. He got a scholarship from the government, and went to France to study puppet theater major, and he was immediately selected to be a professional puppet performer, and sent to Czech Republic, where puppet performances are very popular. As a 16-years old girl, I was very sad that my most favorite teacher was leaving the school, but somewhat I understood he finally found where he belonged to.
Years later, I visited Czech with my family, before I got married, to see Norisawa. When he came to Sapporo to perform, I went to see his performances. But after I got married, I moved to Tokyo, then America, so I didn't have a chance to meet him even we have been contacting each other via e-mail sometimes.
Last night, he performed in Tokyo, and the time I could introduce my husband to Norisawa finally came! But I was a bit worried. My hubby has been in the busiest season of his job, so even last night, our 10th marriage anniversary night, he needed to stay up all night at the office to finish his job. Norisawa's performance was the night after...can he really come?
Also, my hubby is a conservative guy who "belongs to" a conservative Japanese company. On the other hand, Norisawa' performance is...so artistic that he has been praised to get so many awards in Europe, but can a conservative Japanese guy understand puppets' artistic world?
My hubby was very nice to make it last night. All the time during the performance, I looked at Norisawa how to perform, and my hubby how to react, one after the other, like a tennis judge.
Norisawa's solo performance seemed like a lots of energy. Sometimes he jumped & did somersaults, shouted... He did emceeing all the times to explain about his performances (most puppet shows don't have lines,) trying to make the audience laugh often, so, his stage was like a sort of "standing comedian show" sometimes.
I was wondering, how he hasn't changed since we met for the first time. His voice, his appearance... nothing has changed. When I was 16, he was 29...so, how old is he now? 39? ...Am I miscalculating??
During his performance, I noticed half of his performances also hasn't changed. He has been doing some same performances for 20 years!! But he has many fans & been asked by so many countries to come to perform...because of his art. I was also wondering how hard to do the same thing so many years. Even I say, "same," they are not the"same" for him. He must have modified those performances sensitively, I guess the process sound hard to do.
Eventually, my hubby enjoyed Norisawa's performance. He was just amazed there is such a person in the world. The one who left his country, to seek where he belongs to (In Japan, most people don't understand the art of puppet performances, but in Czech, people do!) get the jobs by his ideas & art, work by using just his voice & body.
Having seen Norisawa and my hubby talking, I felt that was a kind of "a mysterious encounter of a lone wolf (Norisawa) and a team player(my hubby.)" Of course I know Norisawa should become a team player when he makes a stage, and my hubby might become a lone wolf when he should insist what he believes in at his company.
But basically...the way of living as an individual artist, or as an employee of a company... Which one would you prefer?? If you become a individual player, you might be able to do what you want to do, but you can just rely on yourself. If you are a team player, sometimes you should do something reluctant for your company, but sometimes you can lean on where you belong to.
Maybe, just each of us know which one is better for ourselves, like when Norisawa decided to leave Japan.
After my hubby praised Norisawa's stage, he talked by himself.
"So, that was artistic...the art is difficult!!"
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