2021

Move from 2021 to 2022 in three days.

It’s 29th December today, and most of companies finished business of 2021 yesterday. My brother is still working though.

A new year business will start from 5th or 6th January.

Because of omicron strain a situation might be different after a few days. So far we haven’t heard any restriction on events during holidays.

Me and my partner are going to go out for the phantom of the opera on the 1st of January 2022. It’s our third time or fourth? Can’t wait!

I cooked Zoni(雑煮) this morning, it’s a traditional Japanese dish for the end/beginning of the year (年末年始). And another traditional meal Osechi(御節) will be delivered tomorrow. All set.

Osechi arrived!

And one more dish I cook is Namasu(なます) pickled shredded radish and carrot. As a salad? We tend to be face a lack of vegetables during holidays it’s better have one or two vegetable dishes in the fridge.

This month my partner changed his job after three years career in the current company, and I finished my contract.

My partner is going to go to his new office in January, and I am looking/waiting for a new job to reach me. A fresh start for both of us.

This winter is colder than usual, might see some snow during the next few days.

It’s third year with COVID and we are kind of used to the recent lifestyle. so we won’t go out much, eat out much, meet with friends or relatives, just being at home with family members. Quiet and tranquil break with books on our hands.

In spring hope the situation will be calm down and I am able to go out for a new job, meeting new people.

And we went the driving range, enjoyed golfing for an hour. we’ll be going tomorrow as well. I’m happy that we found a hobby we can enjoy together.

December 24th 2021

Hope the world will recover from COVID crisis and stabilize in 2022, and we will be able to remove our masks and fully enjoy December 24th in 2022 and onward.

These photos I took during the last few days.

I see the sky during daytime to rest my eyes.

Chobi staring at me riding on an indoor bike

2022 is around the corner. And I wish you who happened to read this blog a merry Christmas, thank you for reading.

And happy new year holidays.

I am not 100% sure that I’m not infected with omicron.

I wear a mask because I am not 100% sure that I’m not infected with omicron.

I got vaccinated two times, moderna.

It caused really terrible side-reactions such as high fever for two days, shivering, dizziness, no appetite for a few days.

And my partner told me a story which he heard from his coworker in India. Once actually infected with Covid those symptoms continue two weeks, and may die at last if something go wrong.

I’m fully vaccinated and I always wear a mask in public place.

Compared to the side reactions I have experienced, wearing a mask is nothing.

A mask, easy, inexpensive and effective to protect myself my family and people I happen to encounter.

Omicron is being said 70% higher infection rate than any of previous Covid variants. What if another Covid variant that is also strong enough to breakthrough immunity and leads to sever symptoms.

It’s too late start wearing a mask after the first case detected, as most likely it’s already around me and I might have been infected.

So that I’m still wearing a mask, even I wear a mask to dump my garbage in the morning, or receive a delivery package or mail. Meeting and talking people means possible chance to give/receive Covid.

A book review 貝と羊の中国人

I used to work with many Chinese coworkers, some were kind and warm some were aggressive and tough. It’s been a long while.

Recently I read a book titled “Strangers in their own land” written by Arlie Russell Hochschild.

Some people might have heard of it. I thought it was worth reading. Difficult and it requires reread many times.

And next a book, 貝と羊の中国人 written by Japanese scholar recommended by Amazon.

Probably it came from my search activities on Google.

Unfortunately this book “貝と羊の中国人” is only available in Japanese. I would recommend this to everyone who might be interested in Chinese cultural history to date.

The other book I mentioned earlier “Strangers in their own land” was originally written in English and translated into Japanese so I bought Japanese one.

貝と羊の中国人 Book introduction (Deepl translation)

“A strange country where money-making and communism do not contradict each other. A groundbreaking book on China by an up-and-coming scholar.”

“Wealth, money, betting, buying: ……. Righteousness, beauty, goodness, nourishment: ……. The Chinese characters for “shellfish” and “sheep” offer a glimpse into the depths of the Chinese people. The shell culture of the Shang people, who were polytheistic and favored tangible goods. The sheep culture of the Zhou people was monotheistic and emphasised intangible principles. The ancestral form of the Chinese people’s ability to distinguish between “true” and “false” lies in the Shang and Zhou revolutions of 3,000 years ago. In a fresh and daring look at Chinese characters, language, exiles, populations, heroes, territories and national names, this book explores the essence of China and the Chinese people.”

Not sure what will be a response from people, I just happened to know some Chinese engineers, project managers, and general managers in person, and.

Our next door is from Taiwan.

I thought it is worth reading when I found (was found by book) the book. It’s a thin light weight book though it contains enough historical important point in easy to read form.

From this weekend I’ll start reading “The tyranny of merit” written by Michael Sandel.

YouTube advised me to watch his talk about the title the other day, and I immediately put the book into my Amazon cart.

While writing I realized that I am most likely controlled by GAFA.

To Tokyo amid Omicron variant.

Yesterday was nice weather, warm and sunny. I visited an agent office to Tokyo.

It’s in a center of Tokyo. the land area “Akasaka, Minato ward” is probably one of highest prices these days.

It’s close to National Diet Building.

Young IT startups prefer to have an office around the area.

And the place also safer as well, since there are Imperial Property in the ward, and Imperial Palace in the next ward.

There is a police station in front of the property, I saw several police officers walking around.

豊川稲荷 Toyokawa Inari in the white circle.

And right next, there is Inari shrine Toyokawa Inari. Is it for imperial family or? I’m not sure.

Among other tourists, I prayed, bowed, bought incense sticks and dedicated to the place.

Many Japanese won’t think about Gods and Buddha much in our daily life, but if we have a chance we’ll become serious and pray for mostly people we love and care, or pray for ourselves when we have concerns or troubles.

As usual, when I smell incense I think of my dad, and my boyfriend who passed away 21 years ago.

Then bought some rice cracker with tigers pattern, tiger is the Chinese zodiac of coming year 2022, and for my mom’s birth year. She is strong as she was born in the year of tiger.

I walked back to Roppongi station from Akasaka ward, it took me 20-30 minutes. It was a nice walk.

Oh no, it’s already December???

Really looking forward to Osechi dishes for a new year!

Unbelievable how time flies.

It’s November, and it’s 22nd already.

Sunrise at 6:20, sunset at 16:30. When I wake up in the morning 5:15 it’s dark. I

brush my teeth and make coffee, it’s still dark.

then stretch and squat, still dark but begins to be light.

At 6:30, I go out for jogging it’s finally light.

There is Shiba dog 🐕 on the balcony of someone’s house, along my running route. she or he looks down from above, and I smile, but she or he shows no interest at all.

Yet it’s a most pleasant moment for me.

Then I come home, if lucky there is Chobi waiting for me or my partner to be back.

He is just sitting on the turfs, staring at me (or the door).

That’s how everyday begins, how it has begun for the most of past 326 days this year.

Life in 2021 has moved really fast with COVID, I hope next year will be slower with less worries.

Earthquake and a cable car

We don’t know when earthquake will hit us.

Last night, at around 23:00 there was earthquake an intensity of 5.

I went to bed at 22:00 so probably right after I fell sleep the earthquake woke me up.

Fortunately there was no damage and we all back to sleep.

During a daytime, I was cruising around Minatomirai Yokohama looking for a present for my friend in Hachijo Jima island.

Day out is good way to recharge, and relief eyes fatigue after hours of study.

I saw a cable car that newly installed from Sakuragicho station to Worldporters shopping mall.

Its distance is six hundred meters, yet scenery from the cable car is unique and enjoyable, it’s passing by an amusement park, traveling above a canal, in the canal there is an amphibious vehicle visible.

I could have fun shopping for my friend, bought “Hawaiian Airline” T-shirts and 2022 calendar for my friend.

Hawaii is the place we first met 17 years ago. so I always choose something related Hawaii to cherish the days.

There are earthquake reports from many different regions daily basis.

And there are so many disaster reports from places all over the world.

Basically there is nothing we can do. We can’t stop or escape.

Therefore it would be better spend the given time on things we really want to do, as much as possible.

Yokozuna Terunofuji

We went out to Sumo at Ryogoku stadium again, for celebrating Yokozuna Terunofuji (照ノ富士 in kanji).

Sumo is held every other month, in Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep and Nov.

Since COVID-19, it’s been held at Ryogoku through 2020. Usually it is held in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka between Ryogoku@Tokyo.

After one year passed, Nagoya basho was reopened in Jul. unfortunately Osaka basho was not held in Osaka but in Tokyo in Mar.

It’ll be announced if Fukuoka basho is held in Fukuoka or so near future, it depends on COVID-19 situation in Oct.

Anyway, while Hakuho, a senior Yokozuna, is absent due to COVID infection report from one of sumo wrestlers within his Heya (Miyagino sumo stable), a newly became Yokozuna Terunofuji must be responsible to stand against other lower ranking wrestlers. Yokozuna is the strongest and a wall to others, a wall others must defeat.

Even being under such pressure, Terunofuji is the only one without defeat mark as of day7. the play continues for 15 days.

Today was really exciting, we watched three exceptional matches, and two matches of our favorite Takakeisho and Terunofuji, they both won.

With COVID-19 new normal, Sumo is held with limited visitors of 5,000 ppl. it’s only 1/3 of Ryogoku’s capacity.

We cannot eat bento or snacks in our seat, we need to go outside and eat at a bench.

No liquor sold.

Mask is mandatory.

And just like Olympic/Paralympic, we clap our hands to cheer wrestlers.

No loud voice cheers. Talking about cheers, I realized that no cheers at the same time no harassing comments.

Actually it’s really good atmosphere, as Sumo should be sacred not an entertainment.

And we have enough space for each other, because of less people.

Many stadiums that built longtime ago mostly have a very tight seating space. If it’s filled, we have to shrink ourselves, sit tight, still hard to avoid to touch upper arm or shoulder of ppl in both sides.

Therefore less ppl is comfortable..

And we can enjoy wrestlers breathing and sound of bumping each other.

Wrestlers nowadays are not able to act a fixed match which was once a serious issue in Sumo. As it’ll be obvious when without full force.

Hope Terunofuji to achieve “Kachikoahi“ (more wins than losses) today!

Another autumn has set

Since a jogging on Saturday, I noticed a scent of osmanthus at Yamashita park, along the road, from some neighbors’ backyard, and from our next door.

Last autumn, one morning I realized the scent’s actually coming from a backyard over a wall between our house and the neighbor.

As osmanthus grows up fast and it becomes taller like a photo above, our backyard is not big enough for it even if we want to have.

So I feel thankful that our neighbor allows us to appreciate it over a wall.

Purely out of curiosity, I searched oamanthus fragrance on Amazon. It seems osmathus is getting popular, for this year????

Loccitane it’s just released on 8th Sep.

Louis Vuitton also has THE PERFUME

I got curious and picked one, a solid perfume THIS .

When surrounded by a peaceful scent it’s really relaxing and calming.

Boiled apple

Work Life Balance of Behavior Psychology C