autumn days

This photo was taken from my floor where I work.

The sun looked most amazing, shining her rays through the clouds on to Tokyo..

These days have been so nice, it is hard to be at work, especially after lunch and enjoying the fresh autumn air..

Today I had lunch with Z, since Z was around and managed to get a great seat in the park all to ourselves. Hard to imagine that there was noone else around at this time of the day in the middle of Tokyo. Just greeted with the sun rays through the leaves and the smell of trees. We picked up a couple of onigiri's (riceballs), made from brown rice and filled with the condiments of either fresh salmon, umeboshi plum, shiso herb and jako (small fish). All really good ingredients used too, so even better! Oh, and not to forget the miso soup which was the icing on the cake. A very nice, relaxing lunch hour, but time went too quickly and ended up being 15 mins late back to work! I don't know if anyone noticed or not.. let's hope they didn't and that all is well.

Last Friday, I ended up taking the day off (due to the weather being too nice), and Z and I decided we would both just hang out for a change and make the most of the weather. We visited my favourite cafe in Jiyugaoka and had scones and apple pie (I still think the best in Tokyo!), and then decided to go and have a Head Spa (consisting of your head being massaged for 30mins with deepsea Thallso mineral gel). Even got our shoulders massaged. If you haven't had a Head Spa before, I thoroughly reccommend it. The most awesome feeling afterwards and your head will feel so light you wonder if it's still on your head! Well, it definitely takes the stress off you and being pampered is great! A few guys there as well. Having our heads all sparkly and clean and stepped right out of the salon, we decided to head out to the standing bar. A very cool swanky place that is hard to get in, unless you just time it right - like we did! A couple of sangria's, tataki tuna and fresh smoked bacon, we were on a high! Nothing like a great day off like that to really appreciate life. Tokyo, I must say is great and I always feel spoilt when I go to my favourite places and able to share them with special friends, especially with Z.

The rest of the week, there is study, study and more study. Final exam for my paper is on Tuesday next week. I am a bit anxious and aprehensive about it, although, I did get some very good news regarding my assignment that I handed in the other day and received 80% for it! Was I a happy chappy yesterday! Almost shouted out in the main street by work when I read my mail on my phone!

Must keep believing in the best and expecting the best. And so should you. The world is full of abundance and you deserve it. Believe in yourself and you will attain what you are looking for and want. Money, love, happiness, acknowledgement, satisfaction, the list is endless, just like your dreams and goals. Believe in all of them and that you can accomplish them all! It is only your mind that limits you, and if you have an unlimited mind, then your potential is unlimited!
Just go for it and enjoy what life is offering you.

Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world.
Arthur Schopenhauer

services that you can buy in Japan...

An article I came across in the newspaper this morning. Thought you might like to know what kind of things you can do over here.. Seems like you can make money from anything these days..

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006 "We can do everything" By MARK SCHREIBER
Spa! (Oct. 31)

With a nationwide crackdown in force on drunken driving this autumn, the word daiko, meaning a substitute, is suddenly back in vogue. Unten daiko are the companies you can call to keep you from crawling behind the wheel if you've had so much sake you can barely stand up. For charges starting from 1,500 yen for the first 2 km (with a 20 percent surcharge after 2 a.m.), they'll dispatch a sober individual to drive you home.
These, Spa! reports, are just one of a number of similar substitute enterprises. You can hire a daiko to stand in a long queue to purchase your admission ticket to a major event (charge: 3,000 yen and up); to walk your dog (1,500 yen for the first 30 minutes); and place bids at Web auctions that frequently run into the wee hours (the fee based on a percentage of your purchase).
There are even substitute shoppers who can find you the best bargains at the Akihabara electronics district.
Considering the potential pitfalls in getting into, or out of, an emotional relationship, it's not surprising then that substitute services have sprung up of late to serve would-be lovers. A nanpa daiko service will, for 3,000 yen an hour, try to pick up a girl for you; skilled scribes, available via the Internet, will compose messages so elegant as to cause your lady love to swoon with passion (2,625 yen per 400-character page); and date planners (1,500 yen and up) will advise you on a course that meets her tastes and your budget.
Considerably more expensive, at 50,000 yen to 100,000 yen per job, is the "confessor substitute" service (kokuhaku daiko). Similar to a private investigation agency, this outfit will approach the person you specify by assuming the role of a concerned listener.
"About 70 percent of our clients are men in their 30s," says Satoko Yoshii, operator of an outfit called Ginko Consulting. "These fellows might have had their eye on a girl for as long as six years, and then decided it's time to break the ice and approach them."
Is she living with someone? Does she, God forbid, prefer women over men? To extract this information, Ms. Yoshii's operatives will try to get them to volunteer what you want to know.
If the female target works as a waitress in a coffee shop, for example, the operative will become a customer and try to win her trust.
"All of a sudden she might say, 'By the way, I'm a friend of Mr. So-and-so (the client). Can I ask you about him?' " Yoshii explains. "Then since it's just two girls swapping notes about a guy, the woman won't suspect anything.
"This is a much more reliable way of finding out what the man wants to know than confronting her and asking about her past," she asserts.
Ginko Consulting says it draws the line at some requests.
"Once a client requested one of our operatives to approach his lady friend in a threatening manner so he could 'rescue' her," Yoshii tells Spa! "That's a crime, so naturally we refused."
"In this day and age, you can't conduct a romance without assistance," Yoshii smiles. "The business is there, and just keeps growing and growing."

awareness

Just wanted to post this on my blog. I tried to find a way to post it on my page for a permanent sign, but having trouble and thought I would just post it for the time being in this entry. Definitely, one needs to think more carefully about the "associations" out there. Are they really trying to prevent you pain, or are they just thinking of how much the industry would gain from your "contribution" or in this case, illness.

Read more about this at this website. It may just save your life.
http://www.newstarget.com/020841.html

Take care and will be back into post later on.

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Marcus Aurelius

just one of those days...

I quite liked the above words and thought I would put them on my website. It is from the book

Yoga: Discipline of Freedom: The Yoga Sutra Attributed to Patanjali Barbara Stoler Miller regarding Yoga, however, I thought it applies to life in general and perhaps you would be interested in reading it.

Today, a slightly low energy day for me, after yesterday. I enjoyed catching up with a very close friend that I hadn't seen for some time. Managed to surprise me (yet again) and told me that they were stopping by for lunch and if I had time.. well, already had a lunch date planned, however, I ended up cancelling it, as it was a special occassion. Thing is, I haven't heard back from my friend regarding not meeting up with her, and am afraid I really am in the bad books. I thought good friends would understand these sorts of situations, I guess not. Perhaps, not a good friend as I thought... Anyway, has me a bit stumped and a bit sad to think that this could destroy a longterm friendship. I have apologised and even sent her a small "sorry" gift.

What more can I do. (Sorry, but some Japanese girls are very complicated to understand, I empathsize with guys here...) Apart from that, it sure was good to catch up with good friend A. Time went too quickly and A had to dash off their meeting and I had to get back to the desk. Ho hum. For longer lunch hour breaks..

On to a brighter note, have been cutting down on expenses and have been pretty much making my own dinner everynight. Dishes have been pretty quick and simple, but I have made sure they are well-balanced and do not contain anything instant.

the good things in life...

The best bakery in my opinion(organic and natural), closed down last month (Pain di Ami).

Since there is no other decent bakery (well, there is Maison Keyser which is considered to be excellent, but it doesn't have that tender loving care like Pan Ami had.) Pan Ami also used natural yeast and organic wheat, I haven't had any bread for at least a couple of weeks. On the good side of things, I am able to fit back into my skinny jeans again! Bad news is, I really miss the bread and the wonderful, talented baker N there. We became quite good friends and it was always nice to call in there and say hi to her after work.. The bread was definitely a bonus.

Crossiants were like heaven!

She definitely rates as one of best patisser that I know of in Tokyo.. especially for her age and her vitality! I hope she manages to find another bakery that she can manage again. A very skilled lady in the way of creating all sorts of wonderful delights. It was worth not fitting in the skinny jeans! hee hee.. (this site is in Japanese, but it tells us where the bakeries this person has visited. What a list!) http://www.geocities.jp/sanzenri_panyatour/tokyopannya.htm It even has one of my favourite places listed near where I work. This person really is a bread-gourmet!

These days, I have been addicted to watching Prisonbreak. Got this great photo of the two heartthrobs that tickle me at the moment....

Great series and have watched all the episodes at the local DVD store (Tsutaya). I am only up to Episode 7, (there aren't any more episodes at Tsutaya), which means I am completely stuck and can't watch any more even if I want. SO have resorted to Amazon and bought the complete series 1! I know, it sounds really TV-junkie, but I can't wait till December to get it, besides, I would only end up paying around the same amount of cash if I ordered it from there anyway (got a good deal on a NEW/USED DVD set). So all is good. At least it won't arrive in the post till well after my big exam for Uni. So no distraction till after then. Will be a good after-exam present for myself (^_^)/ Will be busy though, as I have Desperate Housewives II also coming soon as well. And one more...

These are just a couple of the guys that push the buttons on in the right places. Of course, these ones are just based on the characters. You would have to know me well, for who really does push my buttons....

I had a great catch up with close friend Z last night. Talking about life, generally just a chit chat and the next thing we knew it was midnight before we hung up! Always like that when close friends get on the phone or catch up at a cafe. We didn't have to rush off any where and we ended up chatting for over 2 hours, and the best thing was - for FREE! (Usually, I am not the type that likes to chat for a long time on the phone! However, with Z it's different...) Anyway, Skype is amazing and if you aren't on it already, I highly reccommend you to go on it, especially if you are on a budget. Even if you aren't on a budget it is great and the quality is crystal clear! Like listening to a conference in a huge hall. Should wire my PC up to the speakers and have the voice booming out. That would be a laugh.

Weekend had some interesting aspects to it. Went to my favourite yoga class and felt wonderfully alive after it, then I guess I just mucked about (watched Prisonbreak) and went to bed around 11 (nothing that exciting, but that is what I wanted to do). Sunday, I had my Japanese lesson in the morning with now good friend Y and went to one of my favourite Italian restaurants for lunch). We were enjoying our pasta (named funnily enough, Shofu Special - prostitutes special?!! Or in Italian it is known as Spagetti alla Puttanesca - the photo below) and a very tasty pizza....

As one does, I sprinkled over some hot chilli extra virgin olive oil and was looking idly at my pizza slice when I noticed there was a soaked cockroach in it! Had to be careful not to throw up..! It is funny to think about it now, how I almost ate a cockie, however, at the time, my appetite just shrunk and had to contain myself. The only reason I didn't make more of a fuss about it, was that it is one of my favourite places to go and I really enjoy the food and service there. Luckily, we were spoiled to an extra special dessert and it was on the house! So there goes the saying "there is no such thing as a free lunch!" So just bring a cockie along and put it on your pizza next time and see what happens.

Sunday night, went for a good 1km or so swim, even managed to pull a few lengths of butterfly. Quite good considering it's been about a couple of weeks since I got myself into chlorine-induced waters.. Had a quiet night after that and ended up going to sleep after some very good Shochu (Murasaki). So life for me is pretty quiet, but that is how I am liking it at the moment. Need time to just unwind and reflect on things as well as taking my mind off the daily pressures of life (not that there is that much stress in my life). Just a bit of sorting out of which direction to take, but doesn't everyone go through that at times?....

Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.
Thich Nhat Hanh

distuburing reality on psychiatric experimentation

I just read this website regarding an article on psychiatry. If you have the time and want to be shocked about the truth behind experimentation, please check it out.

Human medical experimentation in the United States: The shocking true history of modern medicine and psychiatry (1833-1965)Monday, March 06, 2006 by: Dani Veracity
http://www.newstarget.com/019189.html

Here is what the introduction says.

The true history of psychiatry and the chemical treatment of so-called mental disorders goes straight back to Nazi Germany, where scientists from IG Farben (which spawned Bayer and other drug firms) were using war prisoners as guinea pigs in Nazi-controlled medical experiments. This isn't some wild conspiracy theory, either: It's part of the historical record. Read Human medical experimentation in the United States: The shocking true history of modern medicine and psychiatry (1833-1965) to catch a glimpse (if you dare).
Want to learn more shocking facts about modern psychiatry? Visit the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. It's a grassroots organization that fights against the evils of psychiatry and Big Pharma. It was originally set up by the Church of Scientology. I'm not a member of the church, but on this issue I agree with them completely: Psychiatry has gone mad, and it must be stopped.

e.g.
1963)
Chester M. Southam, who injected Ohio State Prison inmates with live cancer cells in 1952, performs the same procedure on 22 senile, African-American female patients at the Brooklyn Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital in order to watch their immunological response. Southam tells the patients that they are receiving "some cells," but leaves out the fact that they are cancer cells. He claims he doesn't obtain informed consent from the patients because he does not want to frighten them by telling them what he is doing, but he nevertheless temporarily loses his medical license because of it. Ironically, he eventually becomes president of the American Cancer Society (Greger, Merritte, et al.).

http://www.newstarget.com/019189.html

friday - again

Have updated my blog to the new version and this is my first time to use it. Not sure on the differences just yet, but seems that it is easier to use..

Yesterday went for a walk in the park close to the office and took this photo. Was quite happy with it considering it was taken on my phone and it wasn't a lot of light where I took it. If you can guess where this is, you have to write and tell me!




Today is slightly cooler and definitely has a feel of Autumn in the air. Looks like we are in for good weekend weather too. Yahoo! I am all for sunny dry Autumn weather that is for sure.

Tonight am meeting up with friends in Ebisu (close to home) which is quite convenient. Not really feeling very social at all and was thinking how much I would rather just be at home watching Prisonbreak or Desperate Housewives! Is this normal for a 30 year old to be wanting to relax at home and watch numerous episodes of American TV dramas?! Perhaps it is just a phase that I am going through at the moment? Well, for one thing, once I have finished this TV series, I don't think I will start watching another one till well after my exam! (Start of Nov.)

Have sent in my assignment for Uni and am now awaiting results. I hoping for the same or a better score as before. Fingers crossed. The exam will be hard, however, we are allowed to take a dictionary which is great. Not electronic though, so will be using the old push of the fingers to get the pages turned! Been a while since I have done that!



As for the previous post regarding psychiatric experiments, I really had to try and compose myself afterwards. I felt so sick, sad, upset, angry and disturbed to think that these experiments took place. I wonder how many people really know what goes on behind closed doors. What is scary is, in another 50-100years time, the same thing will be happening, and it will be listed from 2005-2105. The crazy things people ate and fed each other, or the drugs and medicine they took in thinking they were getting better. This and North Korea, Israel, Palestine, earthquakes, murders etc, makes you wonder what exactly is the kind of world that we are living in. At least there are two things that can help the world and that is peace and happiness, but how many people around you seem at peace and happy?....

The days seem quite long, but the weeks go by so quickly. It's hard to believe it's Friday again! Since I haven't been too busy at work this week, I have been doing some websurfing (as one does) and I just stumbled across this blog. Kind of cool. The writer seems to be in the same sort of place as me at the moment kind-of-feeling. Also mentioned how bored at work she is and is blogging at work. And I thought it was only me doing this?! http://www.myspace.com/italianhunney


Responsibility does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It lies with each of us individually. Peace, for example, starts within each one of us. When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us.
HH The Dalai Lama

fine autumn days

Been a while since I last wrote in here. Guess I have been preoccupied with other things going on in my life... So where do I start to fill you in on what I have been up to? Hmm... Well recently, I attended a workshop on abundance. Was an amazing workshop and felt really positive and vibrant afterwards. Almost like I couldn't wait to see the future. My teacher who held it is an amazing person and you can just feel the energy off her as soon as you think of her.
A whole day to spend in a workshop, sounds such a long time, however, surprisingly it went really fast. A lot of meditations, writing exercises about what you want in your life and the obstacles that are blocking from what you want. I learnt a lot about what it is what I really want and how to magnetize what you want into reality. Hard to describe into words briefly, but believe in the power of positive thought and thinking. It can make all the difference on how you view yourself, others and the world. Expect the best out of life and trust your inner guidance.
Spent a lovely evening with very good friend N and we hung out in a very cool cafe near Meguro enjoying a macha espresso (yes, macha espresso with no coffee) and latte. Time with people you love always goes so quickly and you never want the time to end. I guess that is in the mind too, as really it doesn't end, it only ends when you think it ends. N and I are in similar positions at the moment, so there is always a lot to talk about in such great details.

Last night, I decided to call in on a good friend M, who lives in the same apartment building as me! Very cool chic and a very rare one that says, just drop in when you have time. Don't worry about calling, just ring the bell! Usually it is the opposite here in Japan and we have to call or at least mail beforehand, however, here is someone that doesn't mind and encourages me to just drop in. Ended up staying for over two hours chatting about life and all the other things girls like to chat about ;-)

Have recently got on Skype which is really cool! An amazing system and still cannot get over how clear it is! Skype to Skype calls are free. I think the inventor of Skype should get a Nobel prize, for the quality and putting so many people in contact with each other. I was using it last night and noticed that there were over 7 million other users using it at the same time! Mind boggling isn't it.

Watched the first 3 DVDs of Prisonbreak last night. Heck, that is as addictive as Desperate Housewives! Not to mention that the two main guys are very cute! Was going to have an early night, however, stayed up till 1am watching it! It is so hard to not watch the next episode. These days, I seem to be doing that a lot and that is just coming home, having dinner, relaxing and then watching 2-3 episodes in a row. For me, that is where I want to be at the moment and really enjoying just hanging out in my apartment. Must look at getting a sofa at some time though. My floor chairs and beanbag only is good for a while.. Looking forward to watching the next few episodes.. can see where my weekend is going to be heading.. in front of the TV watching Prisonbreak.

Another good friend, M, was over here for a week from the States and enlightened me about my work and career life, amongst other things. Since I work in a Japanese company with very minimal foreigners (I'm the only one on my floor), I don't get to mix with many and forget how the interaction is with foreigners. The chitchat, the compliments, the idle conversation over an espresso... The grass is always greener on the other side, however, have been contemplating on going to the other side recently. Perhaps that is where I need to go for my next step with work. Work here is not stressful and I do enjoy it sometimes, but feel that my skills and talents (?!) aren't being put to use, and if the complaints outnumber the positive aspects, then really one should consider other options. Will be a huge change if I do go through with looking at moving on from here. Today is a good day and enjoying not being challenged at work, so it's not so bad at all, however, the bad days are rather tedious and wonder what exactly I am doing here. (Today is a good day!)

Whosoever wishes to know about the world must learn about it in its particular details.
Knowledge is not intelligence.
In searching for the truth be ready for the unexpected.
Change alone is unchanging.
The same road goes both up and down.
The beginning of a circle is also its end.
Not I, but the world says it: all is one.
And yet everything comes in season.
Heraklietos of Ephesos

breast cancer awarenewss (research scams)

What I think about Breast Cancer Research carried out by "cancer associations" etc.
Mike Adams of NewsTarget sums it up well in this article..
Take the time to read it if you are interested..

NewsTarget Insider Alert (www.NewsTarget.com)
HEALTH WARNINGS / CRITICISM----------------------------------------------
(Please forward to others who may benefit)
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, you'll start seeing"pink" products everywhere and you might be urged to donate money, buypink products or run for the cure. Even though we're told that everypenny helps, where do those pennies go? If we are donating all thismoney for a cure, then why are women not being told the truth aboutpreventing breast cancer with vitamin D, green tea, foods, herbs andalternative therapies?Why are the treatment options explained to women limited tohigh-profit drugs, radiation, surgical procedures and more mammography-- a procedure that actually causes breast cancer by irradiatingbreast tissue?Cures for breast cancer exist right now, but the cancer industrycensors and discredits them, then pretends that a chemical cure willbe found if people would just donate enough money. (It's always aboutmore money, isn't it?) Shame on the public for believing such nonsense.Breast Cancer Awareness is a modern variation of the oldestconfidence scam in the book. It's actually a recruiting ploy tovictimize women by exploiting their bodies to generate profits forsome of the wealthiest corporations in the world: Drug companies.Most drug companies are headed by men, by the way, who earnridiculously large salaries in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Soit's the same old story: Rich, powerful white men telling women whatto do with their bodies, all while raking in obscene profits on everydose of toxic chemotherapy injected into a woman's body.

It's no exaggeration to say the cancer industry thrives on diseaseand suffering while marketing its services by terrorizing womenthrough the use of proven fear tactics like telling women they onlyhave six months to live unless they submit to chemotherapy. And guesswho funds the cancer non-profits the most? Pharmaceutical companies,of course.The cancer industry is all about corporate profits, not women\'shealth. And yes, I\'m willing to tell the truth about it, because Iactually care about the health of women, and I\'m outraged at how manyhave been victimized by the cancer industry.

It's no exaggeration to say the cancer industry thrives on diseaseand suffering while marketing its services by terrorizing womenthrough the use of proven fear tactics like telling women they onlyhave six months to live unless they submit to chemotherapy. And guesswho funds the cancer non-profits the most? Pharmaceutical companies,of course.The cancer industry is all about corporate profits, not women'shealth. And yes, I'm willing to tell the truth about it, because Iactually care about the health of women, and I'm outraged at how manyhave been victimized by the cancer industry. Read today's feature tolearn more:http://www.newstarget.com/020648.

Jury declares Wyeth's HRT drug caused woman's breast cancer, awards$1.5 million in damages:http://www.newstarget.com/020652.html
Consumer alert: "Pink" products are marketing gimmicks that donothing to prevent or cure breast cancer:http://www.newstarget.com/020654.html

do we need challenge at work..?

Why are Monday's so hard to adjust to at work. It's not as though I dislike my work, however, I never have that feeling of "I can't wait to get to work!", mode on a Monday morning (mind you, neither on a Tuesday or Wednesday either..) Perhaps it just boils down to be not inspired by your work and although it is comfortable, it's not exactly stimuating, yet it isn't that hard. Pays fairly well, good boss, hours are good and not stressful. Sounds like what more could I possibly want. I did leave out fulfilling and challenging and happiness... So perhaps that is where my problem lies. Is it me that is unhappy or is it my job that is uninspiring that is making me unhappy.. hmmm.. no idea, but it does leave me to wonder about things..

Sometimes I feel like this picture.. arranging myself and my thoughts to fit in with others and camoflauge and metamorse myself without any distractions to anyone..

I leave you with two quotes to read, since I am not in the mood to write about my weekend.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
Helen Keller

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new.
But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful.
There is more security in the adventurous and exciting,
for in movement there is life,
and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen