I wanted to go to work, I am not a skipper. However, today it was phisically impossible for me to get out of the bed and dress up for work. My cell phone was in reach, and I could have called in sick. However, I did not want to give up. So I pondered and think of strategies how to lift up my butt and open the door that is two feet away from my bed.
I kept thinking and thinking and thinking while the clock goes tick tuck tick tuck. I opened my eyes and realize that I still have another hour, if I skip my breakfast, to lay down and give myself time to rest and possibly gain the energy to at least sit up.
An hour later, my body was rigid and I came to the realization that I would not make it today. In five minutes later, headlines from daily newspapers and news reports hit my head. "job cuts, recession, unemployment goes up to 7.2 percent."
I got caught up in a thought that I might get fired for this unknown physical problem, which did not mamke any sense to me at all. I started to panic, and even harder I made an effort to get up.
Well, I guess while I was in fear of losing my job, three hours passed by, and I receive a phone call from my boss.
"Ms. Sato, it is 11.46 a.m. and I still do not see you. I am wondering what is happening with you today. Your clients are calling and please call me back as soon as you can."
That was it.
I called in, feeling ashamed and embrassed acting like a college kid who just want to skip his class.
However, later on I remembered what my mentor said one time, when I asked him what if I can't keep my promise to my clients.
He said, " it is not the matter of wether or not you can keep the promises. Things happen. Your car got broken down on the way, you get an emergency phone calls, and you might get sick, but what is more important is how you deal with it after that."
Today, staying in bed, I thought that I should have made a phone call immediately, so that I wouldn't have made any trouble to other co-workers. Yes, I might get sick or might not function well. I have a lot of work and responsiblities that might make me physically fatigued.
However, calling in sick on time is also one of my important responsibilities.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
NYPL on Springy Night
I never thought I could sit down and relax outside around this time of year in midtown, NY especially under this freezing temprature.
However, on 23rd of January, I was ejoying each step that I make, feeling refreshed with warm breeze.I ended up sitting in front of the New York Public Library.
As each breeze touches my cheek, I felt as if it was already Spring. EAch smelll I felt like was the smell of flowers that was just born from the budd. Even ambulance siren made me remember about the hot singy summer.
It was such a nice feelings feeling refreshed, feeling as if I was in a different season. Trifle matters regarding to work,money,life dissapeared at that time. Winter makes me rigid and tense, but spring makes me unwind and smile. Each breath that I took made me excited for no reason, and it made me want to dash into sometihng, something big. The weather that night just gave me a room to relax and energy to go on with my life. I was surprised how deeply we are connected with mother nature that night.
However, on 23rd of January, I was ejoying each step that I make, feeling refreshed with warm breeze.I ended up sitting in front of the New York Public Library.
As each breeze touches my cheek, I felt as if it was already Spring. EAch smelll I felt like was the smell of flowers that was just born from the budd. Even ambulance siren made me remember about the hot singy summer.
It was such a nice feelings feeling refreshed, feeling as if I was in a different season. Trifle matters regarding to work,money,life dissapeared at that time. Winter makes me rigid and tense, but spring makes me unwind and smile. Each breath that I took made me excited for no reason, and it made me want to dash into sometihng, something big. The weather that night just gave me a room to relax and energy to go on with my life. I was surprised how deeply we are connected with mother nature that night.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Professional World
My dad used to tell me that professionals start to focus on their benefit and forget about establishing a true relationship with each other after college.
Until recently, I never completely understood his comment, but being 24 years old, as a recent graduate, slowly but surely I began to feel the trutfulness of his remark.
At most of the networking events, business cards play a huge role. To me, they symbolizes the status in the society. They could even imply one's ability, intelligence and sometimes wealth.
I do realize the different type of reactions that I receive before and after school. It was as if others started accepting me as an visible object.
Recently, as much as other professionals try to dig something out of me if I had any, I found myself literally doing the same thing. I was looking others by their titles:labels.I deeply felt ashamed of and disappointed with myself because I have become one of those people that my dad used to talk about.
I am the person who does anything to achieve my dream. However, I will never allow myself to treat others inhumane.
After I learn about my flaw, I always ask myself when I speak with people.
"Am I speaking with this person because of what he does? or because of who he is?"
Until recently, I never completely understood his comment, but being 24 years old, as a recent graduate, slowly but surely I began to feel the trutfulness of his remark.
At most of the networking events, business cards play a huge role. To me, they symbolizes the status in the society. They could even imply one's ability, intelligence and sometimes wealth.
I do realize the different type of reactions that I receive before and after school. It was as if others started accepting me as an visible object.
Recently, as much as other professionals try to dig something out of me if I had any, I found myself literally doing the same thing. I was looking others by their titles:labels.I deeply felt ashamed of and disappointed with myself because I have become one of those people that my dad used to talk about.
I am the person who does anything to achieve my dream. However, I will never allow myself to treat others inhumane.
After I learn about my flaw, I always ask myself when I speak with people.
"Am I speaking with this person because of what he does? or because of who he is?"
Sunday, January 18, 2009
My sex and the city
People say: You never know what is going to happen in the future, and this is the answer that I get whenever I talk about having a husband someday. Before I knew it, this sentence became a habit: Oh, I don’t think, I’m gonna have a boyfriend soon because my plate is already too full. However, I decided to stop predicting my life and let it go.
One day, I was having lunch with my friend at work. I took off to the restroom to wash my hands before I eat. When I was just at the door, I saw a man who appeared to be decent, trustworthy, and have potential, but as usual, I passed by and pushed open the door.
When I came back to the table, I told my friend about the man. We started to plot a plan to leave my number like Carrie does in “Sex and the City.” I said, “That could really happen in New York. Whatever we see, in the romantic movie, could happen here.”
I wrote my number down on a napkin and asked her to give it to the guy who wears the red shirt. I was just joking. However, she did not take it as a joke and started to get excited and asked me if she could really pass the paper to him. She has been in New York only for two months as an intern from Japan. She wants to do anything “Americans do.” She asked me, “This is what you guys do. This is what Americans do, right?” and hesitantly, I said, “I guess.” So she stood up and dashed into him. She was fast, and she came back and told me, “I did it!! I was a little bit nervous. I even stuttered, but Takako, for you, I did it!”
Just image how sweet it was. She said, with her Japanese accent, “My…friend…want to…to talk…toyou.”
“Thank you,” I said. Well, that was about a week ago, and I’ve never heard from him. Period!
One day, I was having lunch with my friend at work. I took off to the restroom to wash my hands before I eat. When I was just at the door, I saw a man who appeared to be decent, trustworthy, and have potential, but as usual, I passed by and pushed open the door.
When I came back to the table, I told my friend about the man. We started to plot a plan to leave my number like Carrie does in “Sex and the City.” I said, “That could really happen in New York. Whatever we see, in the romantic movie, could happen here.”
I wrote my number down on a napkin and asked her to give it to the guy who wears the red shirt. I was just joking. However, she did not take it as a joke and started to get excited and asked me if she could really pass the paper to him. She has been in New York only for two months as an intern from Japan. She wants to do anything “Americans do.” She asked me, “This is what you guys do. This is what Americans do, right?” and hesitantly, I said, “I guess.” So she stood up and dashed into him. She was fast, and she came back and told me, “I did it!! I was a little bit nervous. I even stuttered, but Takako, for you, I did it!”
Just image how sweet it was. She said, with her Japanese accent, “My…friend…want to…to talk…toyou.”
“Thank you,” I said. Well, that was about a week ago, and I’ve never heard from him. Period!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Do the English like Karaoke?
My lovely and "creative" boss, Mr. Hosoda pitched a story idea by massive e-mails.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
People Fear Under the Economic Turmoil
This unstable economic situation is changing our mentality. A few of my fiends are suffering from minor depression. One of them hates his job, but cannot leave, because he expects that it would be difficult to find another employer. This is such a dilemma to him. If the economy was upward, he would have left his work without any regrets. The other friend of mine lost most of her work shifts. She was always anxious losing her job based on her incompetency at the hotel. At the end, putting a lot of pressure on her self, she made one of the biggest mistakes.
I believe that the vague statistics by the media would give people anxiety and fear. How does knowing the unemployment rate going up help our work performances? Much more likely, we can focus on our tasks without that reports..
Many statistics say that millions of people lost their jobs. However, I think it is crucial to understand which industry reduced its workforces. Not knowing detailed statistics make people to create the wrong assumption that every single worker including themselves are at risk of having a huge financial difficulties.
Fear will becomes true. We need to analyze and comprehend the all parts of the enermy that suffers us, then we should win the victory.
I believe that the vague statistics by the media would give people anxiety and fear. How does knowing the unemployment rate going up help our work performances? Much more likely, we can focus on our tasks without that reports..
Many statistics say that millions of people lost their jobs. However, I think it is crucial to understand which industry reduced its workforces. Not knowing detailed statistics make people to create the wrong assumption that every single worker including themselves are at risk of having a huge financial difficulties.
Fear will becomes true. We need to analyze and comprehend the all parts of the enermy that suffers us, then we should win the victory.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The babies
When I was younger, I dreamed of having my own baby. It could be because they look adorable or I thought they might bring me smiles and become the sunshine of my life.
In downtown Brooklyn, I am living with the Chinese family who has two little girls. One of them, Stephany, has her father's soft face feature, and the other, Melony... maybe from her grandmother. Their innocent-looking eyes and beautiful smooth skin always amaze me. I feel like I just discovered the mother nature in them. Everything they own seem pure.
Maybe three times a week, I come back home feeling tired and disappointed with my performance at work, and when I open my apartment door,these two angels run to me. They want me to look at the pictures that they made at school, while giving me some explanation in Chinese, which I fail to understand at times. All I can say is how much Stephany and her sister are helping me to keep my spirit up and give me comfort.
I am sure that raising children is difficult in terms of their financial situation and if the parents work, the time to spend with their kids. However, I believe that their children worth all of their parents' hard works and sacrifices
In downtown Brooklyn, I am living with the Chinese family who has two little girls. One of them, Stephany, has her father's soft face feature, and the other, Melony... maybe from her grandmother. Their innocent-looking eyes and beautiful smooth skin always amaze me. I feel like I just discovered the mother nature in them. Everything they own seem pure.
Maybe three times a week, I come back home feeling tired and disappointed with my performance at work, and when I open my apartment door,these two angels run to me. They want me to look at the pictures that they made at school, while giving me some explanation in Chinese, which I fail to understand at times. All I can say is how much Stephany and her sister are helping me to keep my spirit up and give me comfort.
I am sure that raising children is difficult in terms of their financial situation and if the parents work, the time to spend with their kids. However, I believe that their children worth all of their parents' hard works and sacrifices
Monday, January 5, 2009
The New Year Continued
“Drink, Drink! C’mon in” ,said my co-worker, Mr. Ishiwata. These were the words that signaled sig.ugh.nal (negative practice). the kick off of the-end of the year party. Everyone knew that some w one, including themselves, will take off (drop the chin slowly) their shirt and start belly-dancing.
Drinking to the point of unconsciousness was always a ritual at this party.
No one had a curfew on this fanatical and foolish night.
This event seemed to erase the boundary between the juniors and the seniors.
However, nothing could bridge the gap between these two factions.
The young employees or juniors must not forget to be respectful to their elders or seniors.
In the Japanese culture, age deserves respect whether a senior administrator is highly compete tent or incompetent. He or she deserves respect. Why? Because a senior member of a business or a family is older, and age rules. That is the way it always has been and will continue to be.
Alcohol will never erase the truth, and juniors have to remember their place in the business hierarchy and on the morning after it is imperative for all juniors to read the atmosphere so that they quickly can recall who they really are- juniors in a senior world. - Young versus old, never the twain do meet. The next morning, it’s business as usual. The senior belly dancer is your boss. Miss this fact, and beware!!
Last night’s old belly dancer will make you today’s outcast and shame you in front of everyone.
Whether we work in the States, or in Japan, a proper Japanese junior never forgets his culture.
Drinking to the point of unconsciousness was always a ritual at this party.
No one had a curfew on this fanatical and foolish night.
This event seemed to erase the boundary between the juniors and the seniors.
However, nothing could bridge the gap between these two factions.
The young employees or juniors must not forget to be respectful to their elders or seniors.
In the Japanese culture, age deserves respect whether a senior administrator is highly compete tent or incompetent. He or she deserves respect. Why? Because a senior member of a business or a family is older, and age rules. That is the way it always has been and will continue to be.
Alcohol will never erase the truth, and juniors have to remember their place in the business hierarchy and on the morning after it is imperative for all juniors to read the atmosphere so that they quickly can recall who they really are- juniors in a senior world. - Young versus old, never the twain do meet. The next morning, it’s business as usual. The senior belly dancer is your boss. Miss this fact, and beware!!
Last night’s old belly dancer will make you today’s outcast and shame you in front of everyone.
Whether we work in the States, or in Japan, a proper Japanese junior never forgets his culture.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
