Seattle!?

Seattle!?
Originally uploaded by shoko.

I planed to visit my friend at Seattle taking a few-day-off, but unfortunately, at the last moment, I missed the flight. Who could imagine how I was disappointed,,,, then, what am I doing in this weekend? I went to the nearest Home Depot to check out our power products (lawn mower, power cultivator, generator, and so on) on exhibit. It was already fully decorated in X'mas style which excites my heavy heart a little. Anyway, I'm disgusted with what a workaholic girl I became - even the work made me late for flight, still I go to research local market - who is the last person I wanted to be. On the one hand, it seems natural to try to get to know the business I'm in, especially when I just started working, while there's constant fear that I may become a boring person who put working above anything else. The balance is the most difficult for me now.

* to you in seattle*
Sorry about the unrealized visit ;( As for your situation, I think no one in my friend was so confident about his or her choice of the future, so be relax. At least in Japan, there is nothing legally wrong with declination of job offer even after you write "letter of acceptance". It is not so late to rethink your vocation after returning paperwork to the company. Don't narrow your scope, consider as much as available option. Good luck!

MARS

MARS
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Whether you believe or not, I took Mars blinking over the sky. As you know, Mars is one of the nearest planet among the solar system, but in the fall of 2005, it approaches closest to the Earth. In Japan, it is seen in the middle of the sphere in late night, late night when I usually come home after working. (Because of recent increasing interest for information security, all photo I can take in daily life is limited only on my way to work.)
Mysterious neighborhood which has clouds and the seas. As a little astro-geek, I gotta check out the latest studies about the planet.

Lamborghini, I envy you...

Lamborghini
Originally uploaded by shoko.

As a line of duty, (hehe) I had a chance to visit the Tokyo Motor Show. This is one of the three worldwide motor show (Frankfurt, Detroit), and the state-of-the-art technologies come togather from all over the world.
This was second time I've ever been to the show, I realized that there is only few general guests come to see internatinal car ostentations, and the others are auto business people OR "geeks" taking photos of booth bunnies with formidable camera set. Well, I really wonder what they do with those photos of smiling uniformed girls. Enjoy looking at photos alone? Sell salacious shots at internet auction? That's really beyond my understandings. Well, however,,, I took one photo of those. Let me explain, hey, the attendants at Volkswagen booth are ravishingly beautiful. (this is not personal views, people going with me all agree with that!!)
Back to cars, Toyota's future-oriented mobility car for single use moved amazingly, it pointedly proposed future lifestyles with the car. As for our booth, well, cars were OK. They are one of the most neo-futuristic cars throughout the hall. Technology might be OK, or say, extremely. But sadly enough, we can't afford to get wider booth (in fact, wealthy enough, just don't try to make big promotion) , and more than that, I think we are lack in sensitivity for more attractive way of performance. On the other side, in Lamborghini booth, people crowds around only two cars displayed, no show, no decorations, nothing else but cars, despite they can't come even closer because of fence around the booth. Probably, the attractiveness of cars are not necessarily in its status, and nowadays great safety & ecology technologies are flourishing in Japan, still, it seems Japanese auto makers are still well behind European traditional car companies in sophistication to be felt behind the brand wherever from it is.

Tokyo Int'l Film Festival

Tokyo Int'l Film Festival
Originally uploaded by shoko.

At Roppongi, where the center of cosmopolitanism in Tokyo, the 18th international film festival were held for one week from October 22. I went to the openeing ceremony and screening not just for paparazzi photos of famous movie stars (of course I looked forward to that), but to welcome Carol, my former boss at Washington DC Independent Film Festival who came to Japan for the festival. I was working for her festival while studying movie business. Since she likes Japanese foods, cultures and many, she has hired Japanese intern every year, and successive interns could make get together again this time.
We enjoyed great reunion eating and drinking traditional Japanese foods, and went to sightseeing around Tokyo. They are curious about everything so that sometimes we can hardly answer their questions. Thanks to that, I reaffirm my recognition of the need for understanding our own history and culture, and over the long run, that leads us to have global consciousness. The weekend reminded me mind of a world citizen.

Chinese Square

Chinese Square
Originally uploaded by shoko.

October is rare month that has three-day holiday in my company calendar. The first night of the holiday, I went to Chinese Square in Yokohama with friends to eat nice Chinese! So long, I haven't visited the place and found lots of exciting streets, barkers taking passengers, chinese snack stands crawling with people. We were looking for a famous restaurant, and found it, but entered another one since that was a bit out of our price range. Well, foods are tasty enough to be satisfied.

Anyhow, it's really amazing that everywhere in the world you can find chinese square somewhere in city map. In those area, people preserve their traditions as foods or goods, and keep lifestyles. I can't stop thinking the inimitable power and vitality to keep identity.

Shilver Mint?

POST
Originally uploaded by shoko.

I don't know why the place called as title, I went to Ginza, mecca of the most luxurious shopping streets in Tokyo, to get a feel for classiness. Ordinally, Japanese mailbox is painted red, but here the cutting edge of sophistication, even mailbox seems to act rich (aside from whether blue means gorgeousness or not).
Jesting apart, the entity which runs postal survice is now facing the first greatest cataclysm of the millenium. As US or several other country, postal services are run by governmental entity since it involves highly public aspects, but in these days it's getting to be pointed out that the inefficient operation especially in finances. "Finances??" you might say. Interesting point is, our postal service agency deals with its original life insurances and even provides us favorable rate saving account. Long ago, when private bankings were not reliable as those in these days, many people did deposit their fortune and bought postal-life-insurance. Problems arose mainly from this banking function of the service, i.e., their almost only way of fund management is investing public projects, most of which is now gasping for shringking number of public works, and that results in massive deficit. People's opinion move to privatization of the postal agency and allowance of free entry to the business. In near future, we might see more colorful mailboxes in streets.
(c.f. post on this photo is colored not because of the privatization things, probably its better fit to city's setting)

Life of Music

Life of Music
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Finally my life has changed!! Though I've long been used to take advantage of iTunes music store, I got my love iPod just recently. Surprisingly many of my friend had already have iPod or mini, I amazed its universal impact to our generation. Influences has not only affected to both electronics & music industries, well-known car makers gang up to set iPod-adoptable player available as its factory option, and every single luxury brand shops covers iPod accessories like leather cases or straps. Unfortunately, I have nothing to do with any of these related products, at least my music life became drastically enriched. Also, I'm enjoying podcasts like CNN news, which is good listening Einglish training...

Ball Game!

DOME
Originally uploaded by shoko.

For the first time in my life, I watched a real ball game at domed stadium. It was quarter finals of industrial league, which our company's team won the second place of it last year. The supporters covered half of the seats, and there was filled with blooming excitement. The game started with the score locked at nil-nil, but top of the 4th inning, a huge home run triggered a series of hits, that gave them huge point spread. Victory head us up to high, and delighted us so much. I hope they'll get first title for this year!!

beach and sunshine

beach and sunshine
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Even almost one year passed since I've left, I still miss Californian bright sunshine and dry weather. Compare to it, day by day, Tokyo's muggy humid air bear down on us that makes me reluctant to get outside. I miss blue empty sky once I hated at most which let me feel endless loneliness, I miss red-dried ground once I eagered to run away from inhospitable desert. Well, this is the moment I realize a fact that any moment of life is invaluable, though people (of course including me) tend to look over the preciousness.

Summer Vacation

Miyajima
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Despite I've had no plan to spend summer vacation, I was longing to avoid to throw treasurable day off away just keeping in house. Luckily, car companies have relatively longer vacation - even though only a ten days long a year - compare to other industry in Japan, so I made off-the-cuff trip plan to Hiroshima with friends.
Hiroshima, the city struck by A-bomb, has not only its memorials and museums, but is famous of foods (okonomiyaki, maple leaf cake, oyster), trams, and one of the most scenic spots in Japan "Miyajima" where shrine is built in the ocean. Though the buildings was under reconstruction (some structure collapsed due to typhoon last year) as usual, the neat beauty of appearance and structure was beyond description. We went a little further to Yamaguchi, westernmost of Japanese main land, to see famous bridge called Brocade Sash Bridge over the Brocade River. At night, we took boat and enjoy watching cormorant fishing, ancient method of sweetfish fishing.
Hot, hot, hot, humid. A little further go down to south, the hotter it become. I love Japanese scenery, but sometimes I miss dry sunshine in California. Hope to have flesh summer around southern ocean next summer.

the End of Training

party night!
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Over 4 months newly-personnel training finally came to the end yesterday. Factory training was pretty hard on body, while retail training need to be mentally tough. However demanding that was, it's so prescious experience in terms of we probably will never have chance to work as direct workers who are the core of adding value. Above all, the greatest fruits of this training was getting to be able to know various people, not only colleagues but many other senior workers working at forefront. These meetings influences my perspective, and offers me broadened view of life.

In tranquillo forest

Great Togakushi view
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Company group training gives me great chance to meet genial friends to hang out with. Although members of the group are soon going to be allocated different divisions, I went to Nagano with them to spend a weekend at a cottage of one of the members. Even in the middle of July, climate on the mountains are still a bit cold, but really comfortable to strolling outside. We went to famous Soba (Japanese noodle) place to taste it, took a walk to visit time-honored shrine at the top of mountain, did BBQ and played with fireworks by midnight. Great fun!! I'm so happy to be colleague with them.

SUE

dinosaur
Originally uploaded by shoko.

So long time I've long stayed away from scientific stuff which I've loved so much. There is no specific reason yet, just missed some chances to get in touch with. Last weekend, trying to get back my life more lively, I went to see dinosaur exhibition at National Science Museum, Ueno Japan. There displayed the most discovered bones of Tyrannosaurs Rex named "SUE" derived from its discoverer, which originally stored at Field Museum, Chicago, US. Misfortunate thing is, my camera is under capacity to capture its huge full body, only be able to take next bone of some Chinese-saurs (sorry, I forgot the name of tribe) well, it's fantastic enough to see, isn't it!? It says now studies of dinosaur's evolution come to see the birds are identekini related with dinosaur historically. Also what made me surprised (kinda disappointed..) is now that the evidence proves that no "Jurassic Park" depicted as world fascinating movie was existed in real. Considering its weight and joint position, T-Rex must not be able to walk more than 8km/h, not to mention to run chacing its prey. Well, as a huge fan of Hollywood movie, I prefer imaginary Rex to dull giant.

I haven't taken photos...

Laboring. Changed workplace, still as a trainee, to car manufacturing factory. You know, it's truly robust training. Awesome. For security reason, I'm not allowed to take picture of working, nor bring camera equipped phone. Making cars itself is interesting flow, unit by unit, people set many different parts, moving alongside the line, within amazingly little takt time. Yap, every single joint in my body is aching. I assure I'm gonna be more masculine by the end of July...

holidays

Nothing to be able to find to do sounds kinda mentally ill, which I hope not (laughter), though my fault was no planning on this long holidays which has already passed half of it. One of distinct differences struck me living in different country was the sense of days and months. Seasonal period as national holidays or well-known vacations that differs from country to country unconsciously make one's rhythms in living dairy life, and when you stay in different world, you may have very weird feelings spending unfamiliar holidays, or become too unaware of it to take enough rest.
Anyhow, one japanese unique long holidays called Golden Week is from the end of April to the first week on May, when workaholic diligent Japanese officially can take vacations for weeks. Then, that's exactly now, and I'm still stuck in home. I should have book something, if I knew much earlier I could take off during this week... ok, why don't I start filling up posting application. God knows which division I'm gonna work for.

the Car Dealer

the Car Dealer
Originally uploaded by shoko.

It's two week passed since I started working here at car dealer as a probie. Trainee for two month at dealer, another two month at manufacturing factory, then I'll see what I'm gonna do in which division. More than expected, our shop has better performance than well-known rumor of bad profitability in domestic market. Accounted for that, reasonably assumed, we constantly have visiting customers, which means I gotta escort number of them from the first day of training. Gradually, I found the way to deal with daily task, though still many things don't make much sense to me yet.
Yesterday, we had unusual visitors. People came from Russia to see how the shop was running. Surprisingly, the guide who took Russians was a graduate of same school, and we both got amazed at the coincidentality(^^
Anyhow, selling A car is pretty truly a big deal. Never can you sell it for short term, nor by just explaining its exernal quality. Dealers have to be trusted, and gotta be able to move heart appealing the car's deeper and specific qualities to a person's lifestyle. They work very hard sacrificing lots of time even sparing their offs. I'm even wondering if I could do this for all of my life. What I gotta do in the future is, probably to think how can I make this workers much happier, not only to think of customers itself. I'd like to find some way in this little term.

POWER OF DREAMS

POWER OF DREAMS
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Well, I have to admit I was soooo excited by outstanding wonderfulness of this technology, incredibly smooth bipedal movement by artificial robot. In fact, so did all of us, at the exhibition hall in amusument park which my company runs, excited maybe more than any other general audience. All newly-hired employee had got to engage beginning training program staying condominiums together standing aside the park, and a few of us sneaking out of the packed schedule for a moment to get a glimpse of it!! Anyhow, this guy (if it's appropriate to call him) moves just as humans do. Though I'm not mechy, but I see "this is something". Ok, it may sounds nothing so much special, but facing to it is another thing at all, especially the smoothness. If you have any chance to see "asimo", check it out!!

I got it!!

I got it!!
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Fortunately, or say, at last, I got graduation diploma, I'm now officially bachelor of commerce and management! To my surprise, there were many who took more than 4 years to get out of college, of course including me, haha. As a custom, most girls tend to wear kimono, more precisely, it is called Hakama which kimono on top with ceremonial japanese skirt, especially when they finish their final education. It's getting more fashionable reason (cuz otherwise we have only few chance to put kimono on in these days) than ritualistic meaning. Anyhow, it is also time to good-bye, to friends, and the school. Well, the only thing now I can say is, I made a right choice, to be a member of great team in many ways.

cherry blossoms

cherry blossoms
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Spring comes near along. Still feeling cold in Tokyo, (even snow fell last week!!), I found the promise of spring around the corner. I just went to Atami, one of famous hot spring resort, enjoying a relaxing soak in almost all day, so long as my body went wrinkly from head to toe. (^^; Atami is located alongside the sea, and it's usually warmer than inland where I live, that is why I saw numbers of blooming cherries in early March.
Flowers of cherry blossom tend to evoke the deeper impressions in many Japanese' mind than its appearance itself. It has long been used as typical figure of speech, the image of flower is used symbol of many schools, and the beauty of full bloomed trees is described both as fantastic and apparitional. People find much more meanings in this tree.
Of course, this is a symbol of spring, symbol of new start. (as for fiscal, academic, business year starts in April in Japan) My life is stepping into new phase from this spring, too. I hope to bloom like this frowers in near future.

SKIING

SKIING
Originally uploaded by shoko.

For the first time in last 5 years, I went to ski. Actually, I've always been wanting to go skiing, wanted to leave beautiful ski tracks on sparkling white ground, but unfortunately I didn't have chance, and never be able to do that. This time, I solved financial problems, I managed my time, BUT I couldn't take any friend due to schedule mismatch.....(>_<) Despite this lonely expectation, it become wonderful day to learn basics of skiing, and got nice company in the lesson. Next week, the second trial. I really wanna be a nice skier!!!!!!

tsubomi

TSUBOMI
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Even during the middle of the coldest weather in Japan, there I found a slight sign of waking up spring for seeing buds of japanese apricot. Now a days, it's high season of hay fever, I myself for long years no suffering from its sniveling symptom, finally have gotten. This year, it is said twenty times hay would be floating around the air. Mostly this disease(?) is caused by cedar pollen. I hope no more allergy would heat up blooming up together with the ume flower.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap
Originally uploaded by shoko.

With my friend, and our moms, we went to Korea for the first time where now become very popular in Japan to visit. The boom was first brought by KBS drama, and now many of middle-age people got fever of korean culture. Following that (or more unintentionally), I won a ticket of Seoul trip by chance, and fortunately(!?) we got in the wave of the popularity. Even aside that, the trip itself was really wonderful, the foods were great, elaborated Korean traditional crafts were remarkable, and of course its scenery was beyond description. There was no way to stay away from them, as a result, we ate and shopped sooooooo much....haha.

Reunion!!

night at bar
Originally uploaded by shoko.

For the first time we've got back in Japan, all six of our UCR mates could finally meet at the same time together! (sorry K, we took this after you've left. >_<) This was a wonderful night as if we got back to the days in Riverside. Of course it wasn't, the situation has changed, our life getting to be different, even though, there's something intangible shared sense which made us somewhat tied together, and be comfortble, probably which comes from the fact all of us once spent the same time at the same place, how different the meanings towards each life would be. We had lunch, a cap of tea and cake, and drank and drank and drank. (actually not that much.^^) Almost half of a day together. Sharing lots of memories fascinated us talking, yet those were too many to mention all. We finally left there late at night, promicing to keep in touch, truly I'm looking forward to seeing them again, who gives me great energy and stimulation.

Good Dream...

Good Dream...
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Most of my winter break, I was working at a building near my house with a fine view answering phonecalls. Though I had to wrestle with final project, I needed to earn some money to enjoy rest of my school life. (^^ This is Mt. Fuji from the office, probably the most symbolic scene of Japan. On that day, my area was covered fully snow which made it more beautiful.
Good news is, I finally turned in that huge paper for my graduation!! Still remains a little chore work as correcting citation, but I almost done, if my prof accepts it so KINDLY. I really hope so...

Happy New Year!

2004 was a tumultuous year for me to confront crucial decisions in my life. It was as exciting as dramatic. A thorny year of my internal growth. Therefore, I feel most grateful that I had so many lovely friends to share those days.

Wonderful memories, little difficulties, and other lots of experiences should move myself one step further on. And I believe someday I'll see you again as delightfully matured woman celebrating reunion. Thank you all for everything, and hope your happy new year from bottom of my heart!