Monday, November 26, 2007

Words


Someone asked me what the best thing in my life was.
I had to think for a few minutes and yet I couldn't think of anything.

I have great people around me.
That's definitely one of the best things in my life.
I realized that last night.
(Thank you for thanking me.)

Then I read this.
I usually don't send these kinds of messages forward to my friends, but timing was just too perfect when I got this.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less t ime. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Mafumi


Don't worry. She can also smile.


Some photos from late Summer....film!





Tuesday, November 20, 2007

NZ paradise week 2007





There was a NZ festival at Roppongi hills on Sunday.
It was really nice to hear so many Kiwi accents around me for a change. Most of my foreign friends that I talk/hang out recently are from US or Canada so I guess I am getting to sound more like them, which is not a problem, but I just liked hearing lots of "ayes" and "mates" and "cheers".

Nesian Mystik is a Kiwi hip hop group that I like.
They had an openair concert at the fes and it was awesome.
I mean it was awesome.
The friend I saw them live with had no idea who they were before the concert, but after that she wanted to get their CDs.

"huffer" is a snowboard/skateboard fashion brand from NZ.
They had a fashion show on the stage.
It was pretty cool too. I know models are supposed to be thin and are not supposed to smile but it felt like as if I was watching some twigs with human faces walking around wishing to go home asap. Their winter/fall collection for 2008 was pretty cool though. I would like to get one of those cute hoodies when they come out.

It was such a great Sunday.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

hmmm



Looks like I can't stop taking pictures of the sky either.
(And cats, of course.)

Since I've been away three weekends in a row this past weekend was to catch up with the things that I had missed while I was away.

What I needed most was some sleep. I had a 12 hours of sleep both on Saturday and Sunday.
It felt so nice to stay in the bed and do nothing on Sunday morning.
It was a shame that I couldn't keep doing that cuz I was supposed to clean, do laundry and tidy up my apartment as well. Oh well.

----------

People often say that I don't look/seem easy to talk to when they first see me.
I guess I don't look as friendly as I really am.
Especially when I am not talking I look serious or even moody. I blame my thin eyes.

I was walking on the underground passage on Sunday and there were some young guys handing people free stuff like pocket tissues or discount tickets of an izakaya, as usual.
Walking past by those guys is when I am happy with my looking serious or moody because some of them choose not to bother coming up to me sometimes.

I saw a guy approaching to me but I ignored him just like I usually do, and then I heard him call my name. Turned out it was someone I knew. He was a DJ guy from the club I go to. Wow.
He told me that I looked like I didn't want to be bothered and that he wasn't sure if he should talk to me.

"Did you have a bad day or something? I always thought you were always smiley and friendly."

Well, I seem always smiley and friendly because I am drunk when I see you at the club, dude.
I was a little embarrassed. Maybe I should try to make myself look more easygoing.

Running into someone you know in Shizuoka is not surprising. It happens all the time as it is a small town. You might see at least one person you know when in town or even if you don't see anybody you know you might have seen by someone you know.

Bumping off someone you know on the shinkansen, however, is surprising.
When I got on the shinkansen at Nagoya station a week ago, I flipped out.
A guy sitting across the aisle was someone I knew. He was one of the DJ guys from the said club. What a small world.

I learned that DJs do not only DJ but also work part-time distributing 500yen off tickets of a yakiniku restaurant or go on a cheesy date at Universal Studio Japan in Osaka.

Funny.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

7-5-8.....big but slow




So I was in Nagoya this past weekend.
It is a pretty cool place. Ovbiously it is not as cool as Tokyo but is a lot bigger and exciting than Shizuoka.

Since I live in a city where everything is slow I walk/talk/think kinda slow. But I try not to be a bother when I am in a big city like Tokyo or Nagoya and try to walk/talk/think/move as fast as I can.

One thing I coudn't stand about Nagoya(or people in Nagoya) was that they are so damn slow.
Hearing that from a slow walker like me, all the Nagoyans should take it seriously and try to walk faster and learn how to NOT be in someone's way so often.

7-5-8.....3





7-5-8.....2