VS Brazil

World Cup for Japanese is almost finishing. Now, only one winning point and the game against Brazil are left for us. I am not sure to watch the game. It will start midnight on Japanese time. The result is clear. Brazil must win. So, I don't have a strong motivation to watch the game. But,...

But, I would have a duty to watch the game. Compared with other countries, Japan team's level is lower, to be honest. But, they are progressing. In this World Cup, the second game was certainly better than the first game. Japanese players are studying and growing. Even if Japan has no chance to win Brazil, it might be better to watch their progress.

I don't want to complain to Zico. Many people say he doesn't do anything good to Japan team.
In the last two game, I thought Zico is believing the ability of Japanese players.
His style of using players is very impatient.
If he is my boss, I can respect him and try my job harder for him.
That's why I don't critisize his style.

What is the secret of Brazil's strength? They look to have no possibility to lose. I want to know what they are eating everyday. Maybe, beans. I have never been to Brazil, so my guess might be wrong. But, I think they are eatng beans very much.
Recently, to make a strong body, I am eating Natto, a bean food with strong smell, everyday. My body condition is good now. I can feel all my bad elements in my body and brain are killed by natto. So, Japanese soccer players should eat it everyday. Or, it is also Ok to eat it just before the game. Natto's smell might be a strong weapon for Japan to stop Brazil players.

VS The book of the dead

I recently watched a great doll animation, "The book of the dead".
The quality of the animation movie was very high. I enjoyed it very much.
In the movie, dolls are actors and actresses.
I could have the chance to talk with the movie's producer. She told me that it took two years to make the one hour movie, because every single second was divided to 24 scenes in the movie, and all dolls in the scene were moved gradually, a little and a little. I guess it must be an impatient work.
In the movie, all dolls looked living. Their move was very smooth. It was a great art.

The movie's original novel was written by Shinobu Origuchi, who were a famous Japanese anthropologist. The theme of the novel is how we can calm down the soul of the dead people. This theme was from Buddism.

The eara of the story is ancient Japan, 8 century. In the eara, Buddism came to Japan. It gave an effect on Japanese thinking about death. Before Buddism coming, Japanese thought the dead people would become something in the world; for example, a stone, a tree, a bird, an ant, a snake, a flower and so on.
But, after Buddism coming, we learned that we would go somewhere but in this world after our death.
Where is "somewhere"?
I am not certain that it equals the English word, "Heaven",but we call it "That world" in Japanese.

For the people in 8 century, the two types of explanation for death was very confusing. That's why it was a big theme for the ancient people, how to calm down the soul of the dead.
Such a theme is difficult even for us. So, the movie was more difficult to understand than we guess before watching it. However, I can say this movie is a good entertainment.

Now Japanese animation is popular in the world.
Most of them are, I think, for kids. The stories are interesting, exciting and easy to understand But, what we can express in animation is wide. The genre called "art animation" is also becoming popular now. It's a great art.

VS Big Wave

Last Saturdy, the size of wave is Shonan beach was big. I heard that the last time of this size was two months ago. I tried surfing then, but the strong and big wave was too difficult for a biginner surfer. I couldn't stand on a surf board at all. I was very shocked.
My instructer said to me, "It was a good experience. For me, at the first time, this size of wave was very scary. But, after the experience, other sizes of wave became easy."

I realised how the power of wave is strong this time.
The wave is always weak on Shonan beach. So, we have to paddle very much to surf.
But this time, I didn't need paddling. The strong wave enforced me to go toward the beach. i couldn't stand up on my surf board. Only I could do was to hold my board. It was like a body board. But I could fell and understand waht the catching a wave is.

Now I am afraid whether I can surf in Australia this summer. The wave on Gold Choast must be bigger than here. BBQ on the beach might be better for me. But, anyway, I have to practice more.

Many shops on Shonan beach are under construction. The sea will be open from July. During summer time, this beach becomes not for surfers but for the people who loves events, festivals, and romance. The surfer's activity is limited in the early morning or the night time. Not to say, catching a girl is as difficult as catching a wave.

VS World Cup

The world cup in German has started at last.
To be honset, I am not a super soccer freak. I don't watch soccer games so much. But, World Cup is special. Same as other people, I was looking forward to the event coming.

In the first league, Japanese will be able to experience emotional things.
Japan have to fight against Brazil in the league. It's unfortune to have the match with the strongest team soon.
I don't think Japan can go to the final tournamnet, but of course I will cheer them.
I will become excited, angry, happy and sad in the games in the first league.

In the final tournamnet, I will feel peaceful and relaxed, because there is not Japanese team there. Being free from a nationalistic factor, I will just enjoy the great games by the strong countries.

My problem to watch the world cup games is that I don't have TV. A few years ago, I stopped watching TV because I realised it is the waste of time to watch TV.
But, I want to watch the games!
But, I don't want to have a television.
However, I want to watch the games!
Nevertheless, I don't want to have a television!

Fortunately I have a solution.
Recently, many restaurants and bars near my house have set up big screen televisions inside. Of course, they are for watching World Cup! It's a good idea.
In about a month, my expense for drinking will increase. It's unescapable.

VS Murakami Fund

One of the famous Japanese shareholder activists, Mr. Murakami, was arrested because of his insider dealings. Honestly speaking, I am happy. Maybe, most lapanese has the same feeling as mine.
Some people would value his contribution to change Japanese stock market and companies, even though he was arrested. Certainly he would have done good things to some extent.
But, his opinion is quite a simple, and often too simple. He said to the managers in a company of which he has the stock, "Work more efficiently!"

He was a strong stockholder. So, the managers couldn't protest him.
And, "Work more efficiently!" itself is a difficult opinion to deny. His opinion must be true.
However, nevertheless, I didn't like him. Why?

The reason might be this. His purpose was to earn money in a stock market. That's why I thought he was not interested in each companies' activity. One company makes shirts. Another company makes redio programs. Of course, each one have to change themselves better. So, they have to try to work more and more efficiently. But, it is not Mr.Murakami's business. He couldn't know how each companies work. His interest looked to be how each companies earn money. If so, I think he has no right to say "Work more efficiently!"

Recently I doubt that efficiency is important.
I think inefficient life is very rich. For example, we drink too much at a night. On the next day, we can't get up in the morning. When we get up, it is afternoon. We say, "Gash. I can't do anything special today."
We waste a day? I don't think so. We must be happy. Because, we know the lost time doesn't affect our life bad. Certainly we lost time a little, but maybe we could be more relaxed. We don't have any serious problems at all.
Japan is the highly developed country. We don't have any difficulty of life. Enough food, enough drink. So, we would not be hurry to everything. In other words, we can enjoy Slow Life more.

Mr.Murakami was arrested soon.
Newspaper says, he didn't choose to fight in a court. Because, it will take a long time, so it must be time-loss for him. His life style is still very EFFICIENT.

VS Decreasing Population

In Japan, 20% of the gross population became the people over 60 yeras old recently. I am happy to hear that because it means Japan becomes more and more a long-life-time country.
But, many people seem to think that is not good. Because it becomes more difficult for the government to keep our pension system and other infrastructures. Actually, now Japanese birth rate is under 1.25. The number of young generation is decreasing.

We discussed about the topic in our English class today.
We know the main reason of decreasing birth rate is from the increasing unmarried women. Especially the number of 26-30 years old unmarried women is increasing.
Comparing the present with the past, the number of children a married woman has is same.
The couple without children is not increasing.

We didn't discuss so much what we can do to solve this problem. It's a big and difficult theme. Alternatively we talked about marridge.
"Women change after marridge." is the married men's idea.
I can't judge whether that's true or not, because I am a single, but two women students disagreed with the idea. Maybe, depending on the viewpoint, the idea can be both true and unture.

"Before marridge, Men hope Women will not change in the future. But, Women change after marridge." Onthe other hand, "Before marridge, Women hope Men will change in the future. But, Men will not change."
I can't judge this idea again, but it sounds true. A Japanese recent pop-song says a same kind of idea.
" I (man) want a unchanging relationship with you, but you (women) want a stimulating relationship with me." Mmm, I might see.

VS Branding in China

I read a Japanese economical book about the branding in China. This book treats the branding policy and tactics of global companies in China.
The examples this book treats are the car industry, the drink industry, the advertising industry and so on. I can learn a lot from these examples.

I can learn from this book that it takes a long time to spread the brand image. For example, Japanese has different images to Audi, BMW and HONDA in the car market.
For Japanese, the image of Audi is "reliable". BMW is "selective". HONDA is "unique". Each brand has their own character.
But for Chinese, these three companies have no difference. "Reliable" is the same image of them.
Why does Chinese think these companies have the same image? The author says Chinese people can't have the different images of each car companies now, because of the lack of the comsumer experience. For them, a car is a car. So, they don't have a special image for each cars.
To be more correct, they would have experienced the car without reliability made in their country. So, they would focus on the reliability of foreign makers.

For some Japanese, the image of Bentz is YAKUZA. Maybe, westerner is supplised that Bentz has such an image in Japan. But it's true. If you drive Bentz and change the lane, no car would interrupt you. I've never used my horn to Bentz in my life.

VS THE DA VINCI CODE

Why is this unspecial movie so cotroversial? This is my impression after watching THE DA VINCI CODE, maybe because of my lack of religious background.
Certainly I enjoyed this movie today, but I thought the description of each characters and facts were not enough. The original novel is a long story. So, it maght be impossible to pack the world in only a few hours film.
The key factor of the movie is SEX.
Religiously, it could be a big problem. But, culturally it is not. Now, anything about SEX are opener than before.
"Mona Lisa" is drawn on the book cover and the movie advertisement of THE DA VINCI CODE. But, it is not related to the story at all. It was surprising for me.
I heard thet the hair style of Tom Hanks was more controversial than the story. But, I didn't care for it.

Even though I think this movie is not special, I can recomend it.
Not only religious people but also the people to respect for any kinds of principle tend to seek for the authority, which makes battles among the people. The history of Christien is such a case. I think the westerb culture based on the history is most infulential on this world now, so we should study it more. I could learn many things from the movie.

But, anyway, I seem to have to read the original book. English book must be too tough for me. So, I will try Japanese-transleted book. Now, 5 million books are sold in Japan. It's a big sales. Of course, the book-shop people are very happy now. We are looking forward to THE DA VINCI CODE 2. It would be a cheaper story than the first one.
Mona Lisa beats a lot of monsters, and finds out a treasure. Hm, entertaining. Good enough. I can write the story.

VS Onshore Wind

The change of season is clear in Japan. Each season colors our life. So, we respect seasonal events very much. For example; In spring, we watch cheryblossams. In summer, we go to the sea. In fall, we eat very much (maybe, to prepare for winter -no food season -). In winter, we go to ski. "This is the seasonal menu!" is a popular advertisement in Japanese restaurnts.

I went to Enoshima beach to surf last Sunday.
For most people, May must be too early to go to the sea. But, for surfers, it's not early. Actually, the water is a little cold now, but our hearts are burning well enough. Watching blue sky and sea, we can't wait more. Surfer is a breaker of the season code.

The day, the wave was kind of big ,but a little random by the effect of onshore wind, which comes from a sea side to a shore side. The wave is sometimes big and sometimes small. That's why the wave condition was hard for the beginners. It also means hard for me! Maybe, my performance on the wave was not good.
However, by the support of my instracter, my surfing skill seems to be developing. I could sometimes catch the wave correctly this time. Training is important for anything.

To be honest, Enoshima beach is not a great place to surf. The wave is small an weak. In Kanto area in Japan, Chiba or Izu is a better place. However, Enoshima beach is a kind of brand. Many people come there. So, I heard that the openness to strangers is the culture of this area. On other beach, good wave points sometimes seems to be monopolised by the local surfers. Thus, strangers can't ride a good wave.
I've never been to other beach, so I can't judge which it's true or not, but I think the surfer's community in Enoshima is comfortable indeed.

I ate Mankin Gyoza after the surfing. I drank much water on the sea. So, to minus it, I had to eat an oily food. The raod to the real surfer is far away.

VS University Students

I graduated from University around ten years ago. When I was a student, I often went to a room of my seminar professer. We discussed about many things. I could learn a lot. It was a good experience. Moreover, I sometimes drunk with him and other seminar students. And, we played soccer and tennis. We went for a trip together.
After I graduated, I have been to his house at least once a year with my friends. My professer talks about recent interests, his university and his students. I talk about my job mainly. It is natural for me to keep in touch with my teacher.

Last week, I went to an University in Yokohama, which is my customer. After a job, I talked with a professor, about his seminar.
He said to me, " I had invited my students to my house before ten years. I arranged a wine party with my students then. We enjoyed together very much. But, recently, I don't have such an oppotunity. Because, the personality of students has changed. They don't want friendly-relationship with their teacher."

"Not all students. Some students still want it. But, they often lose the feeling of respect or politeness to their teacher. They treat their teacher as like a friend. They don't understand our relationship as it order to be. So, I am losing the motivation to have a better relationship with them."
He looked to give up something.

For me, the most interesting thing of what he said is this.
"Compared with male students, female students are more active and friendly to their teachers in their unversity days. They sometimes come to my room and talk about many things. BUT, after graduating, they don't keep in touch with me at all. On the other hand, male students contact me more often."

I think what he talked about is not only his case. The distance between universtiy students and professers seems to be becomig far. I've heard of same kinds of episode from other professers.
I don't know the reason why the relationship between students and professers has changed.
Shyness? Generation gap?
The reason is not important, but what I think is important is that we should have a skill or an experience to communicate with the people in a different generation. Looking at younger coworkers, I realise they are not good at talking with older people. They tend to be together with same age people. It's not a problem itself, but if it implies the lack of their communication skill, it's fatal.

VS Body Shape

Japan is between in spring and early summer. Basically warm. Humid rainy season will come soon. After that, we'll go into summer.
I checked a new surf shop in Atsugi. My surfer spirit became hot. I learned from the shop staff about various types of surf-boards, the character of wave in some areas in Japan, some surfing styles, the personality of Atsugi surfers and so on. I enjoyed talking with her.

I thought I had better make my body visually-good to go to the beach.
Six stomach muscules should be on a surf board?
I don't exercise recently, but I have been satisfied with my body. I am healthy. I am not fat.
But, I thought I should step on a haigher level.
So, going back to my home, I tried stomach execises soon.

I decided fifty-times execise everyday to get six muscles on my stomach.
It's May now. One, two, three months later, It's August, in summer. Then, my ideal body will arrive joust in time. Nice plan.

Good plan have to be followed by action. Of course, I did it.
I laied on a floor, and started stomach exercises. One, two, three, four, five.......
On the process, suddenly, I felt a storng pain on my stomach, which likely broke my stomach into six pieces. I stopped. I gave up. I got a heavy damage by my exercise. I would submit myself. I couldn't continue.
Gash! My muscule became weak! I was shocked.

To calm my body pain, I went to a bar. I thought cold beer is good, because I heard cool-down is needed after exercises. The day, I drunk earlier than as ususal. Maybe because my blood circulation became fast. My goal is far. But I have to reach it.

VS Copyright

I am a moralistic man. Moralistic man thinks everything naturally. He obeys only the natural order. So, his behavier is simple and easy to understand. What is natural isn't an important question. It's also not important that others wouldn't agree with what I think is natural.
For a maralistic man, Law is an enemy. It's too complicated, difficult to understand and usually boring. It's like a logical puzzle.It's far from the natural order.
That's why I am not good at legal things. When reading a newspaper, there are many articles about law. For example, a new company law started in Japan from this May. It seems to affect most companies very much. But I don't know it well, because It's a tough work to read such a article to make me sleepy.

However, I am NOT JUST a moralistic man. I am a moralistic "book-sales" man. So, I can't escape from a law related to my business; the copyright law. For my business, I have to understand it to some extent. I have to check my commodities for the copyright. Can it be sold for individuals or institutions? Can I sell it to schools, companies or government? Can I import it to Japan?
Before selling, I have to make these kinds of things clear. Cpoyright is a strong right like Patent. So, I have to understand it.

A school, one of my customer, is planning to publish the questions of entrance exam on their home page. They think it's very friendly for the appliers to the school. I also think so. But, now they are facing the problem of copyright. The problem is in exams for Japanese and English. They use many paragraphs from novels, esseys, articles in a newspaper and so on.
Any schools don't need permission from the people with copyright, to use the paragraph for their tests. But, when publishing the tests, they have to require the permission. It is more difficult than we think. Who wrote this article? Where does he or she live? How can I contact them? These investigations are very hard work. Moreover, even if we can contact the people with copyright, it is not certain that they will permit us to use their publications.
That's why the school's plan is stopping now.

In Japanese bookstores, there are red books whose title is a university's name. They are very famous books among high school students. We call them AKAHON, which is a collection of previous entrance exams of the unversity. I heard that this book could be illegal because the permission of copyright is not enough. If it's true, we can't sell such a book and many students could be in panic. Unnatural.

VS Reading

My Golden Week finished. I have to go back to my routine life. I think the recovery of my barin from holiday mood needs much time.

During this holidays, I finished reading "Elegy for IRIS" by John Bayley at last. As I wrote in this blog before, it was a tough work for me to read the book. Because I don't usually read this kind of love story. But, anyway, I made it. I was satisfied with my task. To be honest, I couldn't understand a lot of details in this story, because of my lack of English vocabulary. I could only trace the plot. However, it is okey for me. From the viewpoint of English study, or reading a book in general, it is a good experience for me to finish a book.

After finishing the book, I wanted to read another book. I thought the next book should be Japanese book, because I didn't have enough time to read English book during holidays, so I wanted to try an easier book. That's why I read the translation of "FOOLS RUSH IN" by Nina Munk.
This book was a business book. It treats the mergence of AOL and Time Warner, and the failure. I enjoyed this book very much.
The mixture of telecommunication companies and broadcasting companies is a big topic now in Japan. But, nobody seems to know what we should do next. In addition, I think it is not clear whether the mixture is good or bad. Too strong is the company governing telecommunication technology and broadcasting division?

“Freakonomics” is my next reading target. One million copies of this book is sold in US.
And, the Japanese translation is published recently. I think the Japanese version will be poplar too. This is a booksalesman's prediction.

VS Galbraith

If you have studied Economics, you would know the name Jhon Kenneth Galbraith. Today I knew from a newspaper that he died a day ago at 97 years old.(The news was a second or third top news.) I was a little shocked, because I read his book when I was an university student. Compared with other economical book, his books was unique and interesting. He used metaphor efficiently to explain the real economy, and made new words to describe it. His book treats economy, but his writing-style is like a novel. When I started to study Economics in university, I thought it was boring. But his book geve me a motivation to study it more. Studying Economics or Social Science helped me to think about everything in social context.

Fortunately or Unfortunately, the death of a person is a business chance of book-salesmen. I will bring a book-list of Galbraith to my cutomers tomorrow. He must be a giant of last century, intellectually and physically.

VS Golden Week

Japan starts Golden week, continual many holidays. It is not just a week. Nine or ten holidays have the people who work for a labour-friendly company or study in a heart-warming school. But, in my case, I can have only five continual holidays. Maybe my company is a bad one.
During this year's Golden week, a lot of Japanese will go abroad. I heard that the number of the people going to foreign countries are more this year than last year. It may symbolize the recovery of Japanese economy. Because the flight tickets are very expensive in this week.
As usual, I will spend my holidays in Kyoto, my hometown. It's the easiest plan.

I realised recently that I have bought books constantly but I don't read them almost at all! So, I will try to finish reading some of them during my holidays. I talked with a librarian who is my customer days ago. She told me that we have no time to read a long book. Actually I can finish reading a short and easy book, but long books have been unfinished for a long time.

My first target to finish is "Elegy for Iris" by John Bayley. I bought this book a few years ago, started to read it soon and gave up soon. It's the stroy about a novelist, Iris Murdoch, written by her husband. She was a great novelist young, but became Alzheimer old.
Although I am interested in the theme of the story, I am not good at the writing style of this kind of "love story". That's why it is taugh work for me to continue to read this book. But fortunately I read 90% of the story. Now it is in a climax. She becomes Alzheimer utterly at last! The goal is close!

I notice that I am satisfied with the saddest point in this book. Human feeling is complex even if it's mine.

VS America

Tha last topic in my discussion class was for the power of America and the possibility of alternative of another power in the world. It was a hard topic for just one hour discussion, but , I think, a good theme. This kind of discussion is becomig popular even in Japan.
Now, Japanese government's policy to America is very clear. They support America almost totally. The relationship between Japan and America looks strongest in history. Japan is the best follower of America now.
Indeed, America is the country we should follow. She is very strong and leading in the world. But, on the other hand, there are many countries which don't want to follow America for its too much strength. Iran and North Korea are such one. They are clearly the enemy of America.

Even in Japan, all people don't support America.
Actually I am an anti-America. (Notice! Not American.)
It doesn't mean I dislike America. I am just afraid of the monopoly of the power in the world. Like Microsoft, we have to weaken the too much strong power of America, for the progress of this world.

In my discussion class, most people supported the leadreship of America. It was a taugh work for me to crticize other's opinion. I know America is the only one leader of this world. But I am not sure whether America is the best as a leader or not. Even America could make a wrong decision and, I think, did it many times. Of course, whether the decision is wrong or right depends on each person's opinion. The decision some people prefer can be bad for others.
So, all I can say is this. In order to hedge the possibility of wrong decision and the risk, we should divide power into many countries.

"Empire" is now a popular keyward among intellectuals. Recently I sell a lot of books which have the old ward in the title. The meaning of the ward doesn't equal to America, but very close now. Although I don't know that the ward "Empire" is useful to analyze this world, we would need any catchy wards to think about a big issue. I think that American people will be surprised if the country they live in is typical Empire. Why do the people living in "Empire" have to work hard everyday?
The gap between a macro image (country) and a micro reality (people's life) is big ,and interesting.

VS Map

A isle is stoking tension between Japan and Korea.
Japan's ships are coming close to the isle for investigation, but Korea's are guarding it. Both countries claim to the ownership. Watching a map, the location is very confusing and controversial. Both countries have their own historical reason for claiming to their truth.

The tactics of Japanese government seems to make this land-ownership problem internatinally bigger. They want to bring this problem to International Court of Justice. However, Korea government is refusing it now. That's why both countries have to solve this problem by themselves.

I don't like to read or watch a map, because it is boring. But recently I found a good map on internet. This map is very very educational. We can know the distribution of resaurce in this world. The visual image is great.

VS A Cold

In spring, in Japan. My body has a difficulty of adjusting to the change of air temparature. Actually it changes very much in this season. A day is warm. Another day is cold. Daytime and nighttime is very different. That's why I caught a cold this week.
I know warming up my body is the best solution against a cold. I had a dayoff one day in this week, and went to a hot spring. I was warmed up in a large bath, sweated in a sauna and relaxed with a hot shower. It was so fantastic.
After the hot spring, a little bit of cooling dawn was needed. So, I ate a few piece of sushi, and drunk cold beer. Cold beer after hot spring. Cold after hot. This contrast is utterly beautiful. I knew it was not good at the time for my body with a cold. However, I couldn't lose the perfect timing for meeting real beauty.
Although my body condition became warmed and better once by the hot spring, the benefit would have been lost by the beer cooling dawn action. But I can say the action itself was the warming up for next action. I went to my favorite Hawaiian bar soon after the hot spring.
I ordered syochu with hot water there. In this stage, I couldn't order cold drinks. Warming up my body was the only one concept then. So, for foods, raw fish was not a choice. I ordered only hot foods like a baked beef. Hot beef gave me a energy very much.
I checked new menu in the bar, after a few cups of hot syochu. I found out the bar's original hamburger, which was one of new menu. In western countries, it is usual to eat a hamburger in a bar or a restaurant. But, in Japan, it is rare. In a hamburger shop, we can drink coffee, coke or something soft to drink here. So, I had requested for the bar master to give us a hamburger in the bar, for a long time. And, at last, he made his original hamburger.
Of courese, I ordered it soon. But, after the order, I realised I had a problem then. Japanese sake was not fitted to a humburger at all. I had to order another type of alchool.
When I have an big humburger on my left hand, what is good on my right hand?
Wine? No, it's too formal.
Whisky? Mmm, no. It's a mismatch.
Gin? No. The color is not interesting.
The best drink next to a humburger must be beer. I knew it from the first time. But, I had a cold at the time. So, I thought I had a problem then. Beer and Humburger. B and H. The yellow colored liquid with bubble and the colorful food tower.
Actually the food tower was very nice. The bread was a maffin. It was my favorite. And, there was inside a half-boiled egg, a thick sliced tomato and a hamburg baked with sauce. It was the best combination.
Facing the great meal, I ordered cold beer natually. "To hell with your health." I heard of the voice for God.

VS Text Book

In Japan, April is the biggining of a new year also for school. This month is busy for book salesmen, because we have to sell a lot of textbooks to students.
Have you ever carried a large number of books? It's an awful work. Book is very heavy. Although I like a beautiful book with photo, such a book is much heavier. In this season, I can easily hate a colorful book.

Carring is one part of this job. Next, we have to sell the textbooks. Students usually buy them between classes. After one class finishes, the wave of students come to the place for selling textbooks. We have to correspond to the wave within a limited time. It's like a war. It's too busy. I sometimes miscount money students pay. "Sorry, how much did you pay now?" Most students tell it honestly. I am lucky.

I am selling textbooks to an international school in Yokohama.
The deal between me and this school has started since last spring. International school use unque textbooks in Japan. I can watch a lot of interesting books. That's why I like to sell books for this school.
At the end of this month, the international school will have a big festival, International Food Fair 2006. I joined it last year. It was so great. I could enjoyed many country's food and reported it in this blog. Of course, I can't miss this year's.

VS Shouwa

In April, new fiscal year starts for company, and new educational year stars for school. Today, my comapny had a celemony for freshmen and freshwomen. They starts a new social life.
I works in sales division. This was the division mainly for men before. No women wanted to work here. Because women wanted to work in a bookstore, and liked to be surrounded by many books. And, men thought it was natural for women to work in a bookstore, and not natural to go out to many customers. But, now it is opposite. Freshwomen working in sales division are more than men. I heard form the person in my company's human resource division that the female applier for my company is more aggressive to get a carrer. That's why my company thinks women are more fitted to a sales person.

It is 18th "Heisei" year. "Heisei" is a name of era of the present Japanese emperor. Japan has an unique year-counting system. When an emperopr replaced an previous emperor, we name the year a new eara name. Before "Heisei", the year name was "Shouwa". I was born in "Shouwa".
There is no "Heisei"-born people in my company now, but they will come soon. Maybe, it is a little shocking for many people including me. For "Shouwa" people, the image of "Heisei" is very new. There is a genareation valley in our brain. That's why we can possibly be shocked to see the generation in my office, of course a little.

Now, 30's "Shouwa" is a boom. One reason is that a Japanese movie describing 30's "Shouwa" became popular last year. It was the period after about five years of the end of the war. It was my parent's generation's periods. Japan was poor, but recovering then.
My company's visual works division made a new DVD, "Japan in 30's Shouwa: Life of Family".
I watched it. It was very funny.
The DVD is a collection of a kind of non-fiction movies. A work discribes a husband on a wife in a family. In the work, there is no conversation between the husband and the wife. They support together, but no communication. Their kids were unconfortable in the situation, but can't complain it.
In a dinner time, nobody talk in the family, and they focus on eating. Only the father drinks sake alone. Everbody looks sad. However, they accept the condition.
When I thought what would happen after that, the movie finished suddenly.
Maybe for all people, this movie is strange. I think so too. But I can understand it. This was a typical old Japanese family. Father was strong but lonely in a home. Mother just obeyed her husband. Kids couldn't complain anything to parents. Such a condition is unusual now, and not supported by anybody. But now for many people, the old life style is a nostalgic one.
The DVD seems to be sold very much after it was introduced in a newspaper. It is an interesting phenomina in Japan.