667 DJ

I was talking with my friend about the fun of the classic stage performance of a person who tells a comic story by oneself.  

"Amazing because the performer is only one that is in front of many audience"
"Yes, everyone watches and expects to listen to great work"
"The performer looks at the audience and consider how to entertain them, based on the reaction from them"
"The smaller the house is, the greater the heat"
"So it's really like a DJ event, isn't it?"
"Right, exactly"

666 Design Anatomy

The exhibition of "Design Anatomy" being held in Tokyo this winter truly gives you an alternative perspective to see usual commodities in daily life, from chocolate cookie to instant camera. The anatomy digs into not only the what the product is like but also sheds sharp light to the package, the name of the product, information to customers, the competitive landscape, the differentiation, the chemical structure of the ingredients and how people taste it, logo, the thickness of packaging paper or plastics, marketing, branding, logistics, and the whole history of the product. I'm sure no one has ever seen the product with such knowledge and understanding with such passion and accuracy that reaches almost the level of a very refined joke. 

Everything surrounds me right know, the MacBook, a cup, a mirror, a glass, magazines, and of course my whole place (however small it may be), might have similar history and background and story worth telling. In this fresh eyes every commodities doesn't seem like just a thing. Each of them might be one universe made by combination of idea, consideration, hard work and efforts. I don't say this applies to literally everything, which is not realistic, but the exhibition marvelously leads and gets us to feel this way.  

http://www.2121designsight.jp/en/program/design_anatomy/director.html

665 Corner

Inspired by some Pinterest images on fine interior, I came to think of setting my favorite chair on the tiny corner of my place to create a small space of calming myself, reading, drinking coffee, or just listening to music. It does work very well more than expected. As no one can easily change their place and live in larger space than they are today, it is amusing to find a way to activate the space that we have.

664 Google

Surprised to see this picture. Thank you Google!

663 Just Before the 39th Birthday

I was born in the sunny daylight on 12th November 1977. Tomorrow, within an hour I will kick off my 39th year. I haven't taken it seriously to get aged and celebrate the birthday. The concept of "a special day of my life" doesn't fit to me much because I know life sometimes gives me and surprises me by making any given day as a special one. It's totally unpredictable. Given that, however, maybe it's a good idea to celebrate one's birthday as no one can tell when a really special day is coming to you. Maybe the reason we celebrate our birthday is to get ready to expect a real special one. 

On the other hand, I've learnt to understand that the normal, usual and ordinary daily life is what we actually should celebrate and appreciate, because everything will be slowly but surely change in the course of time. When the change comes, you might miss your good and old days, your ordinary life the most. Or not... you might embrace the change and your new life. No one can tell.

I would truly appreciate my ordinary life that supports me, while I would embrace the change and surprise that guides me to the new stage of life that is totally unknown.

662 A Film About Coffee

"Coffee is not a industrialized, mass-production commodity". It's so true in the magnificent Specialty Coffee. But actually I find almost all kinds of coffee is amazing, special magic. Every single cup of daily coffee I drink at home and office and cafe everyday, makes me feel better, different, tranquil, strong, smart, and definitely happy. A cup of coffee can always make a new start like a refreshing daybreak. Coffee is a dream as well as a sunlight. It's a loyal friend who keeps me as I am. Specialty coffee is no doubt precious, special and great. And my daily coffee is also special even if it is an ubiquitous commodity. I think this is something that the film is all about. It's a great anthem for coffee.  

661 Watch Your Feet

In a clouded street where lots of people walking into different direction, you will have problem in going through with passing people in front and side. In order to identify exactly where people you are facing is going to move, I was once told by a veteran "not to watch people's face or eyes, but to watch their feet and steps. The step and the move of the feet will tell you the direction, not their expression." Sometimes I remember this and try to gaze people's feet, such as in a clouded crossing. I'm not sure if this is convincing to all the culture and to all the corner of the cities, but it actually works.