700 See You Next Year

Next year, trying not to be that perfect and giving a bit more smile instead.

Thank you so much and see you again, in a Happy New Year.

699 Flow of Time

Within a few hours the new year breaks. The scale of year, day, or any kind of time frame, are always regular and even. It doesn't go like you have 24 hours a day and 36 hours the next day. The time frame is like a beat and rhythm in dance music. The first thing you notice in those beats are "kick and snare", and if you take them in dancing it will greatly fit. But recently I learned from my dance teacher that dance is not about catching the beat, because the music is flowing all the time without being stopped by the beats. You count like "1, 2, 3 and 4..." but actually the sounds flows between 1 and 2, 2 and 3. 

We get up and make a start of a day, and close the day when we go to sleep. Hours by hours, day by day, we tend to live such fragmented time of life. We assign our time along with our task, instead of assigning task according to our available time. But time is not fragmented nor segmentalized. The beats identify the music and the others compose the tune. 

Tomorrow is Sunday and the first day of the new year 2017. We will kick off it and beat out the rhythm of it, and it's okay --- because this is a start of a fresh tune. 

698 Instagram

This year I started using Instagram and soon noticed why this is of huge popularity and interest among people globally. It's not just about following celebrities. Instagram has its original fun and beauty as a media. To those who likes to shoot a photo, Instagram is like a personal exhibition space. Sure you can post your photo to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, but you will be more purely focused on the photo work you made, since Instagram is designed to feature clear visuality. The other feature I like about it is that Instagram seems not that talkative compared to peers in SNS. I understand Instagram is all about the picture and the picture can instantly tell. Instagram looks simple and there's no advertisement (as long as I know), there's no shared news, no "what I was doing 5 years ago". While other SNS provide different function and contribute as more informative and interactive communication tools, to me Instagram sounds like a quiet and personal space to show my photo book. 

697 In Memory of Princess Leia

Like everyone else I feel shocked and truly sad about the loss of Princess Leia - Carrie Fisher past away. I'm not much knowledgable about her life outside the role in Star Wars saga but really liked her, being humorous, lovely, funny, wise, courageous and vigorous in the films, and that's what matters to me. We never be able to imagine the charming Princess Leia played by other actress. May the force be with you, always.

696 Look Back

In the middle of media and / or social media wrapping up 2016, though I know it's not mandatory but it's true that I get to feel like looking back what was the year 2016 to me. It started with a huge, exciting challenge. Soon I had to face the time of difficulty, anger and deep desperation. These experiences are too early to be wrapped up but one thing I got to learn was a courage to stand out and speak out, and also a courage to stay cool and wait for the change to come. Overall the year has been rough and tough but there I have seen lots of fun, delight and new experiences, which opened my eyes to the world and to myself in the course of the time. Altogether, the lessens start to tell me how I live my life in the coming years.   

If you look up a quote relating "looking back" you will see lots of nice words. Winston Churchill said "The longer you can look back, the farther you can look forward", while probably one of the most popular one is "Don't look back you are not going that way." They sounds a bit contradictory but I think many people can see truth in both of them. Always the past is over and you will never go through it again, but the past is somehow the way that leads you to the future direction.

695 Updating

It's sometimes surprising to know that the favorite things had turned to be the past things. I may be a slow learner in terms of it. Recently I found myself a lot changed from who I had been in 7 years ago when I started this blog. Of those differences, some are of much importance that affect the way of my life and others not much, like the change of taste of music to which I like to spend my time. But that doesn't matter how much the change is great or trivial. The thing is that change is always unexpected and unpredictable, and I'm sure it will continue to happen, which I would like to call as "updating myself".

694 Job Search

I've been experiencing a job search many times. Sure, it's a long and complicated road to go, and it costs you lots of energy, time and expense. In the job interviews all the time I've been through anxious and nervous days of challenge, hoping finally I get a happy landing. However I also find the process rather interesting and meaningful. 

First you have a very good opportunity to know the firm from inside because you need to know what they are actually doing in the job and you may ask (or rather you are supposed to ask) whatever you need to understand the reality. The more essential and sharp your question becomes, the more it is welcomed because it no doubt shows that you are serious. The competitive landscape, the strength, the vision, what they are proud of, what they are afraid of, and what kind of person they want. Those are what you might not be able to access through the website or IR materials. 

Secondly you will be tested through tons of the interviews and questions by several different person. If you patiently keep pursuing the opportunity you will find there are a number of several different firms and jobs, usually more than expected, which, of course does not mean you will get a number of offers from them. You only need an offer at the end of the day. 

And finally, it's a bit mean to point this out but you will find exactly how the firm treats its candidate and get the important information if they are mindful enough to keep their branding policy not only to their clients but also to the prospective clients.     

693 Prism

I have many things that I like to do and also I have to do. Work, cook, dance, listening to music, practicing taichi, growing and appreciating plants, taking a walk in woods, see the sunlight, watch airplanes taking off and landing, traveling, sleeping, meeting new people, listening to radio, watching films, drawings, taking photos, cleaning, sharing time with friends and family, and writing this blog. I think I'm really lucky because I never be bored with my life that I've  learned to design, and I never be stuck with one thing and finding myself no way out. I always have many sides of me, many colors of me all the time but I just do not show them all at the same time (because they're so many!) And I would like to think of myself as a light which is composed of multiple of color spectrum that can be only seen when the light go through the prism.

692 Mum Sprout

I am having a good luck to enjoy the sprout coming from a mum flower. It's always a great fun and comfort to see sprouts and baby leaves because it's the embodied vital energy and spirit in a glass of water that I can always touch it, appreciate it, and have a special sense of caring that actually I am raising it (even if I know I do nothing but just changing the water). 

691 High Rise

Here's the chart of viewing my blog. You can see at the right end of the chart shows the viewing volume in December 2016, which certainly is a record-breaking surge of all time. I am totally surprised, in gratitude, because I don't think my blog is something that can entertain lots of people. I have a funny feeling that this might suggest ; 

i) that I should retire from my little blogging career at the peak of it,
ii) that I should challenge to smash my own record in the coming next year, or
iii) that I should let it be, let myself keep writing whatever I feel, even if this doesn't make a good food blog, a wise life hack, or a sound movie review.

I wish I could write interesting, humorous, funny or hilarious stories on whatever I write, whenever I write, so I will just keep going. I don't see why not.

690 Blue Bliss

The color of Christmas is no doubt green and red (and white and gold, perhaps) but the real Christmas image of my own back in my childhood when we used to enjoy the white snowy winter, is always deep blue of immense, cold night sky. To me blue is the best color to depict the chill, peace and quiet of the moment covered by falling snow.  

689 Scapula and Pelvis

I remember writing about the scapula before, and now I got to understand that the scapula and the pelvis is working closely together through the muscles connecting them. Scapula is the initial point of arms, and the pelvis legs. Some says that the two bones originally used to be the similar function to control the legs (for creatures which walks on four legs). To me it feels like the two bones separately and firmly secure the four corners of the trunk of the body in order to structure the human posture rightly. If you just lower one side of the scapula, you feel the other side of pelvis rises a bit. And if you close the both side of scapula, then you feel the pelvis standing forward. 

To me it seems easier to understand the body structure and movement if you know the connection and mechanism working between each parts. Very often we hear that "we should listen to your body" and frankly I haven't fully got it, but if you manage to learn the language, you may be able to listen to and speak with your body.  

688 Ankle

This Christmas weekend I've been away from candle lights, turkey, holly tree, cakes, mulled wines and Christmas movies, but been training myself for fun. I've been taking lessons of Taichi and dance and learning new things. Both trainings require me a life-time continuing learning that never ends and it's my delight. From the beginning I've been always surprised to know how much this ancient Chinese martial arts, and how much this street-smart pop culture, have such logical and theoretical way to approach the essential. 

One interesting note that I thought I should memorize, was the importance of stability and flexibility of ankle. It goes like this. Ankle is just like a base column in architecture. If the base is not strong enough, the stability of the whole building should be put at risk. If the base is not stable as expected, you cannot compensate it by adjusting anything in upper body. Don't we take it for granted too much that we have a body carefully designed for every single movement?

687 Rogue One : Where a Star Wars Story takes place

It might be annoying to repeatedly talk about this but I cannot just stop trying to write about the experience. I told about the plot, story and the people, so finally I should mention how the location and landscape in the film are awesome and unforgettable. 

The story of starts in a beautiful planet.

Battleship floats coercively in aerosphere.

An architecture being created as terror,

revealed itself in a totaly unexpected way.

Battlefield in dark, heavily rainy canyon,

under the palm trees,

in sunny beach,

in immense space,

and it ends in a high tower.

686 Rogue One : How it is A Star Wars Story

After watching the movie twice at theater I already know I want to see it again. Those who is not interested in the Star Wars series might think what's the matter with me, but I think it's simply sensational. It is in many ways different from original Star Wars but somehow it makes us believe this is a story that made history in the battle field behind the well-known myth of a father, son, and heroes. Through Rogue One we can enjoy Episode 4 : A New Hope with more in-depth insight from the start. Now we know how mercilessly Darth Vader acted, and why Princess Leia made such a desperate effort to send R2-D2 to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Rogue One has a certain quality that can lead us to believe this is a story behind, not having been shed light, of one of the many unsung warriors in a galaxy far, far away.

This may be the time without Jedi Knight ---

--- but with magnificent guardians of the faith.

Who guides a hero used be with light and wisdom ---

--- or might be with painful lies and separation.

A bad guy turns out to be a nice guy ---

--- or a nice guy has no choice but to live badly.

Droids can make you smile ---

--- or may make you cry.

And there is something that only a special hero can do ---

--- and there was someone who helped to make it happen.

685 Rogue One : A Star Wars Story

Being a long-time Star Wars fan, if I am asked to tell what I thought after watching Rogue One, no doubt all I can say is a enthusiastic praise and admiration. Almost everyone is saying the movie is fantastic, marvelous, innovative, touching, exciting, awesome, breathtaking, beautiful, and perhaps, some can proudly say it's simply the best of all Star Wars series. Whatever the critics may value it, the Star Wars movies are long-time friend of mine and I spent long time with them in my life, just like millions of people who feels happy to spend a life with this coolest myth of our time. 

Rogue One is a very unique and thrilling and insightful Star Wars. That stylish and elegant but powerful action sequence of Donnie Yen actually blew my mind, while the massive dog-fight with amazing speed and angle, horrible attack and the ruthless death on the heavenly beautiful beach under the beautiful blue sky, the story of a broken family, all of these make the movie very outstanding and special. With being a state of the art, it's still a great blockbuster entertainment. It's a perfect new breed of risk taker in Star Wars universe and also a grand masterpiece. "Hope" is the Force. 

684 Morning Buddy

My first part-time job was a Sunday newspaper delivery, when I was a high-school student. I'm sure you cannot imagine how this simple job requires energy, efficiency and accuracy. The work starts at 4:00 in the morning. I was carrying a heavy pack of newspaper (heavy because it was a Sunday version) on my bicycle (not for a ride, but to carry the cargo) and walk around the neighborhood houses and apartments, ascending hundreds of steps, folding the newspaper properly, never mistaking the house you deliver it (if you did, the wage of the week would be decreased), finishing everything within a certain time flame before the subscribers started to wake up, and most importantly, protecting the newspaper from rain and snow. You must keep them dry and crisp. And you might be surprised to know that I did enjoyed all that tough stuff and challenges. The reason was, simply the job took place in the early morning and I am one of the person who loves early morning the best in any time of the day. Also, from time to time I met fellows who were involved in the same work as mine in the different newspaper publisher. Most likely they were elderly men of 50s or 60s and we never had anything in common except for the job we were engaged. We never tried to help each other as we were all tied-up to what we were signed up for. But the small sympathy made us feel like kind of teammates. A morning buddy, so to speak.

In the masterpiece of all the time, "Father Christmas" by Raymond Briggs, the most favorite scene was when Father Christmas meets with a milkman. He is the only real person who speak directly with Father Christmas and what's beautiful is that the those two recognize each other as a mate who delivers something in early morning to many people before they get up and life starts. Even now I cannot help remembering my newspaper job when I see the scene. 

Well, I said I enjoyed most of the work but only one thing that annoyed and frightened me was a yelping, angry dog in one of the subscriber's house. He really thought I was an enemy so he did what he was supposed to do, but gradually, week by week, he learned to ignore me. He never learned to welcome me but that was surely enough. 

683 Shooting Star

For the first time in my life (seriously) I saw a shooting star! I was enjoying watching brilliant full moon in the spotless night sky. A shooting star came out of nowhere and the next moment it disappeared with a flash of light. It was really, only a second. The first thing I thought in my mind was "Wow that was the actual shooting star and I saw it!" and the second thought was "Jeez I forgot to wish my luck!" But it was nice, subtle and quiet.

682 Leaves

Autumn is a perfect season to embrace colorful leaves and warm sunlight and chilly air. When I was a kid I used to enjoy the change of the seasons by walking around the river bank, in the fields and woods and playing on the snow ground. Now the only occasion I remember those feelings is when I walk into the park and felt the comfortable sense of thick and dry fallen leaves on the ground under my feet. It reminds me of the times I spent in my hometown full of nature. This is one of the wonderful experiences to sense the existence of the world around you with the real touch of it. 

681 3 days to Rogue One

Those who knows me well or who kindly read my posts around a year back ago will no doubt imagine how I'm looking forward to watching Rogue One because I'm a huge fan of Star Wars. I don't mean I'm totally excited and just happily thinking about the movie all the time like a child waiting for a Christmas gift. After all I'm well grown-up. But the universe of Star Wars gives me something truly special. And one thing I should proudly declare at this moment before the opening of the movie is that I've been keeping the same idea for adding to Star Wars saga as the Rogue One, which is, I've always imagining that it would be great if we could see the story of the person who built, designed and created the Death Star (actually, to tell the truth, when I was a child I used to imagine what if I could play the role in the movie). Even if Rogue One might not be the story of Luke, Rey, or Leia, I have a good reason to think of it as already a special one for me. 

The weekend may be, will be, an experience built on hope and dream. 

680 Smoking

I don't smoke. I used to, for a short period of time when I was in university where somehow many students regarded smoking as one of the coolest activity. My family members like to smoke from time to time, some colleagues and some friends do, so I don't mean to criticize smoking at all. Only I do not like it at all and there is no fit to me in act of smoking. Why I found I didn't like it and quit? It had nothing to do with health problem or prohibition or heart-breaking event. I was teaching kids from 8-years-old to 18-years old in a cram school as a part-time job.  One day I smoked about a pack of cigarette and went to work. Soon after I sat with a kid whom I was in charge, I noticed a queer, irritating smoky smell from my fingers. It kept smelly even after washing hands carefully, and I simply got sick of it. I remember, back in my childhood, I was actually interested in the unique scent of cigarette before it was smoked, but it turned into a very different thing once it was lightened. 

Not just I don't smoke, I seldom drink. They don fit to me and I don't feel comfortable with them. Given 70% of human body is made of and filled with water, being already a great coffee drinker, maybe I don't have any room for them. 

679 Cloud

I always think the colorful, (literally colorful) and elusive yet majestic way of cloud floating and flowing in the sky, is something that is unchanged through time and places. The sun, moon, stars and sky are the same in that way, but cloud is different because they don't usually show us the location, the direction, or the change of time. They appear in an unpredictable shapes and ways. Sometimes they cover the sky completely or sometimes they are comfortably blown in the wind. They are coming with rain and snow, or draw a grand picture in the sky highlighted with sunlight. Seen closely through the window of airplane, they seem like a living thing and cause me kind of a feeling of awe. We admire cloudless sky, but the world would be a less enjoyable place without them.

678 White Hair

Coat of polar bear is not actually white, it's transparent and hollow hair that reflects and scatter sunlight just as ice and snow, which leads to appear all white. The hollow hair is considered to keep warmth inside their fur, to enable polar bear to live on cold icy land. That is the fact which is supposed to be well known.

Meanwhile we do not know exactly why our hair turns to white or gray or silver in line with our aging. Some gets white hair, others not. Some gets in younger age, others not. We have tons of much more important health issues than being white hair when you get old. We are not sure of it, so it might be okay to just imagine why this happens. Given the special, beautiful white fur of polar bear is designed for heating their body to protect their lives, then what if our white hair in our process of aging is there also to protect ourselves. Nonsense, it may be. But at least there is no reason we cannot think the white hair as a celebration, a bliss or a medal given for us to prove our wealth of experience and maturity.

677 Crouching

If you are living with baby, little children, or animal (not so big), you probably get used to bend down to their eye level everyday. But usually we seldom bend over or crouch, except for occasion to tie loosen shoelaces and we most unlikely get down to crawl on our hands and knees in our daily lives. Try this for a moment --- it's a good change. The sight, perspective, the sense of gravity, sense of power and weight of your body, will change all at once. You might feel like being more of an animal than a human. The usual space where you live in seems different. You will have another angle. I have no doubt this change of sense would give us invisible impact to our mind work. Kids can play in this way, but I think sometimes even grown-ups needs to act like wild animals, like crouching below trees, hiding behind rock, and declaring, identifying, keeping its territory. Even if it doesn't mean anything to our social life, it'll be still a much fun.  

676 Scrooge

Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol" , a frozen-hearted old lonely miser who later turns to be a good man through the journey with Christmas ghosts. At the beginning he is too bad, too ruthless and twisted. Probably we will never meet with such a man like Scrooge in our lives. But at this time of the year I never fail to feel inclined to read the story again and again, and kind of sense that I come to have something, a tiny tiny bit of Scrooge, which I never thought in that way when I was a kid and reading the book for the first time. I might be sometimes mean, selfish and cold (like everyone else from time to time). So I might be able to look at my behavior and fix what should be fixed. I don't mean I must be dead serious about it, but I guess I might be able to make my "little bit of Scrooge" into "Scrooge after Christmas morning".

The part I like the best in this masterpiece is what he didn't care at all when he was laughed at by his fellows for his sudden, huge change of behavior and identity. The description of his courage to change, broad mind to expand his internal possibility is I think as great as his virtue and kindness to his family, fellows and neighbors.

675 Thomas

I was talking with my colleague about the Christmas present to his 9-years old son. I had no idea what kind of present the kids at that age today want, so I asked if his son would play with toy train, as it just came up to my mind. The answer was 9-years old boy would have already moved on to something more complicated, but we kept on talking about toy trains for a while. The interesting discussion over it was what kind of personification would be childish and what's not. According to his story there was a theory to distinguish the two was the way to put a face on. If we put a face on almost independently from the structure of the thing, like Thomas The Tank Engine, or Pixar's Cars movie, it would not be childish so much. Meanwhile if you put a face integrating with the original shape, for example modifying the headlights of the car into eyes, it would make a bit more childish. I have no idea what's behind this theory, but I guess the former way allows the face to be far more expressive and flexible than the latter. In any case Cars or Thomas are definitely worth being appreciated not only by children.

674 Chrysanthemum

Very recently I got really interested in and fun to look at chrysanthemum flowers. It's not that popular as a celebration or anniversary flowers but with a close look, it is like a star or fire works. It is strong and lives extremely long. It's tough, beautiful and cool.