349 Life Proposal

いわゆる「人生設計」はあまり得意ではありません。理由は3つ、i) 設計しても人生がその通りに進むことはまずない（まじめに設計していないからかもしれませんが）　ii) 偶然の出会い、チャンス、時にはなりゆきに乗じた人生の方が、どちらかと言えば向いているから、そしてiii) 世界が大変なスピードで変化しているから。

別に”Que Sera Sera"と粋に構えているわけではありません。予測のつかない変化が環境にも自分自身にも起こることを認識し、「変化にうろたえず、左右されず、その時その時で最適な判断ができる軸を持ちたい」というのがいわば理想です。実践は難しいのですが。

「人生設計」というのは重い言葉です。あたかも一生を見通してすみずみまで計画しなければならず、うまくいかないと一からやりなおしになってしまいそうです。ところが「人生の企画書」なら、もっと気軽で気楽です。企画書なら、ちょっと試してうまくいかなければ採用しなければいいですし、いまひとつタイミングが合わないならしばらく寝かせておいても構いません。問題は、ときどきは「当たる」とか「大当たりする」企画がないと、自分で自分に企画を売り込むのも難しくなってきてしまうところです。

348 i-solated

It is probably due to my lack of i-gadget literacy, but I still cannot get used to the sight of everyone focusing on their tablets and smartphones in train. It simply looks strange because they seem attracted to another dimension and completely lost the air of being 'here and now'. Well it's unfair if I deny that I myself is one of them, using iPod almost every time en route, which I feel listening is not that strange as it only requires ears. I have no idea why, but I have strong feeling of out of place when I see people in train absorbed in browsing their i-things and caring little about what is going on around them. 

On the other hand the traditional media such as newspaper, books and magazines don't bother me like that. So is this just a matter of adaption to new media? If so I'm a stubborn, inflexible person and that's all. But the problem is they look like they're at home, not in public space and very much isolated, losing connection to the surroundings. I suppose this is maybe because old media and listening media have clear objective(book or music), while i-media sometimes seems to aim at isolation itself. 

If so, what about digital book? Actually I've not found the clear distinction yet, but probably something in-between.    

347 Monster's Diversity

Pixar's artists again made a wonderful work of creating monster's world. What kind of monsters you imagine, horrible but lovable, if you're supposed to create the movie? Pixar succeed to give life to dozens of funny monsters with diverse characters, from green eyeball(Mike) to fluffy blue giant(Sulley). The university president is a most terrifying flying dragon. Of course this is an animation film so the imagination can be unlimited. 

In the real human world the diversity is much more limited. Or, is it not, when you see the internal, mental diversity, that is why human world is not a very agreeable place so live?   

346 Cart

レジで前に並んだ人のカゴの中というのは外からの視線にあまりに無防備で、不躾ながら何を買っているのかつい眺めてしまうことがあります（つまり、自分の買い物も見られているということですが）。先日、一家の父親らしき男性が一杯のカゴを持って前に並んでいました。その中身は大量のドライプルーン＆レーズンとたくさんのゴディバチョコレートの缶でした。ホームパーティか何かで皆でつまむにしては大量すぎ、お菓子作りの材料にしては限定的すぎるのですが、いずれにせよ後ろであれこれ推測するのはまったく余計なお世話です。しかし好奇心をかき立てられるような買い物をする人が居たら、他に何も見るものがないレジの列では注目を集めるものなのです。

345 Far Away, So Close

Almost everything around you comes from far away from you. Your clothes, your car, your music, your mobile phone, your book, and your food. Thinking about this simple fact and from how far in time and place they came over to me makes me overwhelmed. You listen to music and its singer, its tune, its sound were maybe born beyond century in a place you've never ever been to, or the music was created in unknown basement studio or garage by an artist whom you'd never be able to get acquainted but you can listen to the voice. Your book may carry knowledge and stories hundreds of years ago. Your food, even if it's not so elaborate, is delivered to you from unthinkably diverse origin, for example your everyday pepper in your kitchen.

All this require recording, printing, production, cultivation, farming, fishery, processing, preservation, and of course global distribution and marketing. Often I take a look at things I eat, listen to music I have, thank for the book that gives me fun and wisdom, and think how we live in an amazing world.   

344 Swiss Made

This is not to merchandise any of the following brands (after all the PR effect on my page is no doubt limited.)

I've been wearing Swiss Made watch in my life. SWATCH, TISSOT and Cartier Tank. All of them never disappointed me in their quality and aesthetics as a signature of Swiss Made. Your watch is something you spend every day and so many years with. If there's no watch we cannot even organize our social life at all, so almost everyone wear one, no matter who you are, a postman, a businessman, a skateboarder, a dentist, or a fisherman. In a way watch is not just to let you know the time, but become something which your identity is reflected on. If "identity" is too much then it's your taste or attitude. 

What I always value in my watch are; clear visibility, durability, dignified style and timeless beauty in its design. These could be an identity of a person, and my watches far more embody those than I. 

343 After the Rain

夏の到来とともに最近は夕立が多くなりましたが、雷鳴とともにひとしきりさっと降る雨は実はあまり嫌いではありません。短時間しか降らないとわかっていて、たくさんの人が雨宿りをしながら空を見上げている状況もなかなか好いですし（そうでもなければどこへ出向いても手元の機械ばかり見下ろしている昨今です）、大規模かつ効果的な打ち水のごとく、確かに熱を奪いさって涼しくなります。何より好きなのは雨上がりです。雲が去った後に何事もなかったように現れる青空と陽光、暑さも埃も汚れも水の勢いで一掃された地面、足止めされていた人たちが嬉しそうに、安堵したように歩みだす活気に溢れた空気。