This is what I really want a solution for

Today, I was absent from work and played all day long in Odaiba.

Scratch that, I went to see an expo called the “Web2.0 Marketing Fair”.
This was the second time for the annual expo to be held (First experience for me). To be honest, I feel the name is out of taste (I bet they'll change it by the time they hold it for the fifth time), but besides that, it's large event with many booths of companies that have a “2.0-like” solution for Web matters.

My main target was to experience the latest trends, but I also intended to explore anything innovative. So, since I didn't want the salesmen to look down on me, I dressed my self in a suit and tie, for the first time (!) as a businessman.
Well, the expo itself was fruitful, but as usual, the way there wasn't.

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I prepared earlier than usual, ironed my suit, set my hair, and was just about to hit the road when I found

no umbrella.

How come there be not a single umbrella in my house when it's raining cats and dogs outside!
Coming to think of it, I left a plastic umbrella at my office. Then where's the collapsible one?
Ah, I've just used it the other day. It's in the graveyard...

It took 30 minutes until I was calm enough to piece out such situation. Then I checked the forecast only to be despaired of the to-be-coming heavier rain, and considered calling a taxi only to be despaired of the expensive fee. I came to my senses... my supervisor was calling me! It was almost time for meeting him (blah, the owing for yesterday's Sumo affair has been canceled).

Under the pouring rain I ran. My rare suit, my fixed hair, my new leather shoes, all was washed out.

In a hurry I bought an umbrella, rushed to the station grudging the time even for opening it, jumped into the train, and yes, here comes the sun.

No bouts to watch, many bouts to do

On my arrival at the office, I found an email from my supervisor.

“I'll be leaving in the afternoon to watch Sumo.”

And he left without a word...
Some coworkers were together. I found that they had received an invitation ticket from a partner company.

Hey, wait a minute, wasn't I present at the after-hours party when they made promise? (moreover, next to their leader!)

What's sadder is the fact that I have a work to submit today, making it meaningless to wish going together. It seems they had no intention, but I wish they'd care a bit more, e.g. inform me a bit earlier.

So, I submitted my work to the boss.
“Wow, you could get a master's degree for this work, couldn't you?”
Sir, that may be a top grade praise, but oh for heaven's sake please don't say so, there's still somewhere in my heart that aches...
And despite the praise, what came next was an hour of lecture on my work.

I felt so blue that I left my office 2 hours earlier than usual. Oops, I hadn't finished preparing for the business trip, oh dear...

Always at the last minute

Despite my past announcement, I had no time to write at the weekend.

Sunday was especially busy, for a Buddhist service on the twelfth anniversary of my aunt's death was held.

I didn't need to be in full dress, so I just wore my best jacket, but it happened to be caught by someone's umbrella, and the buttons came off! Feeling shameful and disturbed, I went back home to grab an alternative, forgetting the time.
And of course, I was late. I was worried that the service might have finished and that the after-ceremony banquet had already began. So I was very surprised when I found my turn for offering incense at the altar had just come at the moment I entered the ceremonial hall. I had managed to accomplish the essential part and save my face against my relatives.

That was a real epitome of my lifestyle. I believe my aunt in heaven would just laugh and forgive me.

My Firefox

I have to work as an interpreter, so I'm writing my diary in English for practicing  (Let's not bother about the effect). Fine, but if I take my own time the week will fly away without an entry. It seems I should force myself to write something everyday.
But today was a really uneventful day. How I wish I had overslept, forgot something, or erred in my work... er, actually I don't.

Well, looking back, I found an idea I had planned to carry out, but had left over for months. It's to introduce my version of Firefox. It occurred to me last February, but was abandoned by laziness after no action on June.
I guess I tried to write something really cool, making it a really tough article to finish, and making myself feel reluctant. That's always the case.

This is my current display configuration. It's no more than a month since I've switched to my new machine, so it's still under consideration... but well, then I'll literally be under consideration for ever (and that's another reason I couldn't release), so let's make a jump.

And this is what I really wanted to release: my extension list.

Application: Firefox 2.0.0.14 (2008040413)
OS: WINNT (x86-msvc)

May 9th, 2008

Total of Extensions:  23

• Copy URL + 1.3.2
• Download Statusbar 0.9.6.1
• Extension List Dumper 1.13.1
• Firebug 1.05    
  (Disabled)
• FireGestures 1.1
• Fission 0.9.5
• HashColouredTabs+ 0.4.14
• Html Validator 0.8.4.0    
  (Disabled)
• IE Tab 1.3.3.20070528
• Java Console 6.0.05
• Java Console 6.0.04
• Locationbar² 0.9.1
• Menu Editor 1.2.3.1JP
• qtl 10
• ReminderFox 1.7
• Sage 1.3.10
• SearchBox Sync 1.1.2
• SearchWP 1.0
• SmoothWheel 0.44.12.20080507
• Talkback 2.0.0.11    
  (Disabled)
• United States English Dictionary 3.0.2
• Second search 0.4.2008042801
• Text link 2.0.2008050601

Total of themes : 3

• Cylence Theme : Obsidian Variation 1.0
• Firefox (default) 2.0
• rein 2.0.0.7

I used the Extension List Dumper 1.13.1 seen in the list to dump them out. To be honest, I installed it more than a year ago for THIS purpose. Actually, I submitted a Japanese locale to the author just for myself. Yet I didn't make a single use of it, and now I've enabled it for the first time in about 8 months. Oh, what an emotional moment. I could burst into tears at any moment... in many senses.

I'd love to keep on introducing them one by one, but I want to use the week a bit more effectively, so I'll make it a day. OK, next thing to do... hmm, let's disable the Extension List Dumper.

The day of Goya

On the weekend after the next, I am to interview an Australian in English. It may be that I'll work as an interpreter, too.

Needless to say, I was informed about that a month or more ago. As usual, I spent easy-go-luckily, and as usual, now my mind's in a real hurry.
And so I've decided to start my bilingual diary again after a year's blank. Not that I expect any improvement; it's just a kind of charm.

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Today was the first work after my holidays. Since May 2nd was damn occupied by the delivery date for a project I was responsible for, I had taken a compensatory day off on the 7th to rest at least 5 days in a row, and went back to my parent's home.
However, I was forced to proofread their documents for their work, which makes it difficult to regard the days as a holiday.
Moreover, I had to eat and eat all the time. Quite mysteriously, their refrigerator seems to be full all the time, and my return was a rare occasion to consume the load. That made me weigh a kg heavier, but my dissatisfied parents tried to further oversatisfy me and stuffed 3 blocks of cooked pork into my bag.

I heard on the radio that May 8th was the day of goya (bitter gourd), by the pun “Go(5) Ya(8)”. So, in order to clear the meat as well, I made a traditional Okinawan dish, Goya-Chanpuru. Shouldn't have used so much dried fish-flake, it spoiled the look...

Mastered!

Quite workaholic

These days I work 11hours and study English for 2-3 hours. I really do admire those who are busy with their work and continue writing their blogs.

I think there won't be any more entries for this month, but one thing is for sure: the most rapid growth is occurring when the calendar is empty, and this blog is true to its name in many aspects!

Unbelievable dealing technique

A conversation with my chief last Friday.

"Kippis, I'll work on either weekend day for the project, what about you?"
"Sorry sir, I plan not to."
"Hmm. Well, take a good rest and prepare for next week!"
"Unfortunately, I won't have much chance to do so."
"Oh, why?"
"I have to study for the TOEIC test."
"Well, well, you study too much, Kippis!(needless to say it's the first time I ever heard such words) Your goal is too high. But how do you study?"
"Vocabulary. Especially business terms."
"I see, that's important. ...Hey, I have a good idea!"
"Yes sir?"
"I have to write a mail to a foreign company. Look, it's on a negotiation which is about to rupture. It's uncompromisable, it'll cost us millions. I want it translated by Monday, can't you?"

How should I respond?

One of my current job is a project involving people from other organizations.

My chief introduced me to one of them via email. There came a response.

"Oh, it's Kippis (laughter)"

I haven't ever met him. What's going on there.? This project is terrifying in many ways!

Seeing is quite disbelieving

Today, I went to buy a new pair of glasses.
My present one was fit too well that it was pinching the rear of my ears, while it wasn't fit for watching a PC monitor and made me very tired.

About the first trouble I've been consulting with the store on every chance, but every time they just make it tighter! This time I went to a different branch shop, and the clerk was kind enough. He was the first man to actually see what the glasses had done to my ear... and the moment he turned to my back, I heard him gasping. It seemed that it was worse than I had imagined...

He fixed the glass frame at once, then measured my eyesight for a new lens. Both him and I was astonished again to the difference between the results today and 1.5 years ago.
My left eye was astigmatic, which turned out to be the results of using PCs more than 10 hours a day (which surprised the clerk yet again). Next, my vision itself was improving very much. ...improving?
The conclusion was that my eye was tired during the last measurement. That was done far away in Sapporo (another confusion for the clerk), where I'd dropped my glass along with my wallet and cell phone the night before. Who'd expect one's eye to be in fit state!
But to think that my glasses were adjusted under such conditions, and used for a year and a half...

I spent nearly two hours in the shop, and ordered a glass fully customized for my own lifestyle. With special coating on the lens, a titanium frame, and the latest design, it cost me more than my other glasses in total! It'll come in two weeks, but I should treat it really carefully!

Every Chores...

At last, my first position as a regular worker was announced!
Though my career started 20 days ago, it took time for the executives to reorganize the company for this year, which of course includes my position.

I'm now a member of a new-established division called the EC division. The point is that they didn't clarify what "EC" stands for.
Oh, don't say "Electronic Commerce". There was a grate debate among members and even non-members of the division, ideas ranging from "European Community" to "Eccentric and Crazy". The most popular was "Ee, Comattanaa"(Oh my God).
My leader plans to seek ideas from the whole company, but whether that is serious or not, please make my business name card, URGENTLY!
 

Who dreamed up this reality?

Yesterday (Tuesday) was quite a busy day. There was a big article to edit, quite a lot of miscellaneous work, a meeting to attend, and a presentation to prepare. The presentation sheet was quite bothering, for I hadn't used the Powerpoint for quite a while.
But well, I managed to cope with them. The sheet looked very well and I left the office satisfied. I managed to slip into my favorite noodle shop before it was closed, and they even gave me a extra seasoned-boiled-egg! Finally, I updated this blog. All was well, and how I slept with ease!

Peace in mind leads to a very deep sleep.

I woke up to find the clock indicating the beginning of the meeting. Without me and the sheet, of course.

Later that day, one of the staff asked me, "At that moment, you wished that it was a dream, didn't you?".
Well, on such occasions, I rather feel as if I were starred in a comedy. So let's lock the comedy in this blog, and prepare for the next day! After all, I've finished work early today, and there isn't much crammed into tomorrow morning.

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That was what I had to say for today...until I had dinner in a town far from my house and went back to the parking lot to find my bicycle stabbed in the rear tire.
Surely this is reality, non-fiction. I have to walk all the way home dragging a metal lump with one tire and a flat tube, there's no way to find the villain, and worst of all, I have to wait till next morning for the bicycle shop to open.

Oh, what a comedy!

Charge & Charge

Well well, my diary wasn't even "slowly growing" for a while!

Before it started, my first "Golden-week" as a full-time worker was decorated with dreams; I'd made a list of books to read, things to buy, and even planned a cycling trip to the Okutama regions!
Not even a single item in the list was accomplished. For the first three days I just went back to my parent's house, worked for the next two days, overslept the following day, the next day I went bowling and drinking with my friend, next day I ate sushi with him, next day suffered from a serious stomach ache. Gone!

Well, if it were not for the holidays I couldn't have met so many old friends, but besides that there was absolutely nothing, just laziness. And so, this blog was silent during the Golden-week... yeah, Silence truly is Golden! (Oh, what a cheep silver speech...)

Actually, as many of the very few "you" may recognize, my diary tends to be skipped every weekend, unless I overcome my laziness and go for a ride. On such days I do nothing, really nothing. Sometimes just sitting without any books for even an hour!
Perhaps that's the easiest way to forget anything unwanted and be ready for the next week. Anyway, the holidays are over, I've overcome my stomach ache, and tackling at the bunch of works vigorous than ever!

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Oh, by the way, I've decided to write my blog in English in order to be prepared for the TOEIC exam. That's just what I did with my previous blog two years ago, but this time I may be too lazy to add a Japanese translation!
Actually, it should be reader-friendly if I write in Japanese first, but that'll definitely end up without a single English phrase before the exam...