January 30, 2004
Gambare Daddy!
Just received a message from Megumi and Rosie telling me to try hard at work today. If this face doesn't make me do my best, then I don`t know what will!!
*gambare means 'go for it' or something similar
January 28, 2004
The victors rewrite history...
...and those who put together webpages get to edit out the stuff they don't want to put in. I have been asked a couple of times recently questions along the lines of :"those pictures of Rosie are so cute, surely she can't be like that ALL the time?"
Well, obviously, like anyone else, she has her good days and her bad days, and being the faithful oyabaka parents we are, we take so many pictures of her, that we can filter out the 'bad' ones. But just to keep the skeptics happy, here is a shot of young Ms Garner testing her lungs out. The title of this piece is 'Rosie Bawling' - large signed prints for sale to the highest bidder :)
There are some new pics on the gallery - there are still far too few pictures of Megumi and Rosie together, I know. I had planned to sort that out at the weekend, before flu hit, (bringing with it SCARY fever-fuelled dreams of Margeret Thatcher in a Playboy bunny outfit), so I will try to take more of the two of them in the next few weeks.
January 27, 2004
Flu
Megumi's parents came up for the weekend, and we were planning to go to the local shrine with Rosie, to get the blessing of the gods (kind of like a christening?)
Anyway, I started to feel ill on Sunday evening, didn't sleep all Sunday night, and felt like death on Monday morning. Megumi and her parents and Rosie went to the shrine, I went to the doctor. "Well, Garner-san, you've got influenza - take this medicine, keep away from Rosie and don't go to work until I tell you it's OK."
I'll put some pics upp anyway, when I feel up to it...
January 22, 2004
Obasan Opinions (Poor Megumi)
Near our house, there is a shotengai, a kind of traditional shopping street with butchers, bakers, hairdressers', fishmongers etc etc. Megumi likes these shops, and when she was pregnant, she preferred to shop at the shotengai rather than the supermarket. So, she often got chatting to the people (often middle-aged women, or obasan), who run the various shops.
In the past few days, she has gone back to a few of the shops to buy food for dinenr, and taken Rosie with her. ALL of the local obasan have, without exception, said 'she looks just like her Dad'. I think it is just the shape of Rosie's eyes and her pale skin, but to middle-aged Japanese eyes, she does look 'Western'.
I feela bit sorry for poor Megumi - she spent 9 months carrying our daughter, and now spends all day taking care of her. Yet when she goes outside, people just remark on how much she looks like her father.
Anyone out there think that they see a lot of Megumi in Rosie's features?
January 21, 2004
Yoghurt Blogger Needed NOW
Dirk sent me this. Absolutely brilliant - if you are experienced in both blogs and yoghurts, this job is made for you!!!
Stonyfield Farm is the nation's leading producer of all natural and organic yogurts. We are committed to producing the best-tasting and healthiest yogurts and cultured soy, while pursuing our mission to protect and restore the earth. We are currently seeking a seasoned Web Writer/Editor.
You will help us build a loyal consumer web-based community by developing and managing an innovative daily Web Log (BLOG) and rich content on our website (Stonyfield.com). You'll be responsible for researching, developing, writing and managing content and editorial on topics such as the environment, organic, family farming, women's wellness, health and nutrition. You'll also assist in strategic planning, marketing and analysis of the BLOG and website; source and manage contributing writers; edit existing and new supplied content; review, select and post consumer BLOG comments; solicit appropriate partners and links; and report on BLOG/website activity. You'll also research and develop ideas for additional content on our site, for our online moosletters and a variety of print materials and write the copy. And you'll be in charge of updating information on our site to ensure that it is timely, relevant, accurate, reflective of our mission, and interesting to our consumers.
Very strong writing and editing skills and a minimum of 2 years related experience is a must. You should also be familiar with BLOGS, discussion forums and internet communities and have a strong understanding of environmental issues. This is a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment so you'll need to be adaptable, flexible and a creative self-starter, with the ability to manage multiple tasks under tight deadlines. Like all entrepreneurial roles, this one entails a huge amount of hands-on work as we build our foundation and long-term there is high growth potential for increasing responsibility.
If you love the idea of being part of growing company in which people believe that doing well and doing good go hand-in-hand, we may be the place for you. Please include writing samples and your salary requirement with your correspondence.
Stonyfield Farm, Inc.
10 Burton Drive
Londonderry, NH 03053
or email at HR_Resumes@Stonyfield.com reference Web Writer
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.
Learn more about Stonyfield Farm at Stonyfield.com
Stonyfield Farm is an equal opportunity employer.
January 19, 2004
The Dentist, The Revenge
I went to the dentist again. Once more, a thoroughly unpleasant experience, but I did certainly feel better afterwards. I think that going to the dentist is one of those experiences where the anticipation and dread is actually much worse than the event itself. Asking your boss for a raise, or telling him/her that you cannot finish something on time probably rank in the same category, as does asking a girl out for a date for the first time. They all produce that familiar queasiness in the stomach, and the occasional cold sweat. But, once the deed is done, you wonder what you worried so much about.
Anyway, I actually spoke to the dentist this time - last week was just the dental assistant/technician/whatever-you-call-those ladies-who help-the-dentist-these-days (and yes they are ALWAYS ladies, in my experience). The 4 or 5 fillings needed has been reduced down to 2, which is a bit of a bonus. When I asked about the cost of white ones, rather than the old-style silver ones, I was given the impressive figure of 40,000 yen ($400/about 220 pounds) per tooth. I think the plan is to go for uglysilver on the tooth that no-one can see, and pearly white on the more prominent one. Not cheap, but I have neglected my teeth for 7 years...
P.S. I spoke to my Dad yesterday, and he has not visited the dentist for about 15 years. His previous gap between visits was about 20 years. Dad, if you're reading this, GO! It's really not as bad as you think it will be.
January 17, 2004
More about Rosie's Heart
I understood most of what the doctor told us about Rosie heart problem, but did some research over the last few days, ad found some stuff on the internet.
The image above shows the kind of problem she has, a ventricular septal defect, or VSD. This web page has some excellent information about it all.
January 14, 2004
Parenting 101
Not easy, this being parents lark. In Japan, newborn babies and their mums have a checkup after 1 month to make sure all is fine and dandy ( I think it is after 6 weeks in the UK). We went for the check last week, where the doctor discovered an 'irregularity' in Rosie's heart. We were referred to another doctor, who Megumi and Rosie went to see on Friday. He took a look, had a listen, and confirmed what the first doctor had said - basically 'something's not quite right there'. He then referred us to a heart specialist at the main city hospital.
We went today, and found out that Rosie has a small hole in her heart. Basically, it sounds frightening, but in most cases, these things heal themselves, and it is possible to live a long and healthy life, even with the hole untouched. This reality, however, does not stop one worrying. We have to go back again in April, and try not to worry too much between now and then...
January 13, 2004
5th JET/AET Soccer Tournament
The champion of champions tournament was held over the weekend, with the top-ranked teams from east and west Japan meeting at the Saitama stadium. It was an enjoyable weekend of football, with Osaka beating Aichi to pick up the trophy again. Last June Osaka beat Saitama 1-0 in the final. Unfortunately, the Saitama team did not qualify for this 'grand final' tournament this time. Hopefully, we will have another chance in June 2004.
This tournament is sponsored by the Mainichi Newspaper and JENS Corporation.
The Dentist...
It sounds like the title of a horror film doesn't it. I can just imagine that guy with the deep voice doing the trailer "and introducing The Dentist, strarring Steve Buscemi. You may never want to sit in that chair again..."
I went last week, anyway. Having not been in 7 years, I was somewhat worried about what the outcome would be. They took an x-ray, had a poke around, and cleaned and de-plaqued my teeth, but only the lower ones. I have to go back again for the top ones to be cleaned, and for the inevitable fillings. I appear to have 5 cavities, 3 or 4 of which have already been filled, but the old fillings need replacing. So I have to spend money going to a scary place I don't want to go to for them to drill into my teeth. REALLY looking forward to that, I have to say.
Just as an aside, I heard from a Japanese friend who used to live in London that when she went to the dentist there, the dentist was amazed by how well her treath had been treated. He/she called in all the other dentists and dental assistants to show them a prime example of first-class dentistry. So, at least I'm putting myself in safe hands...
January 09, 2004
Drink Intelligent Cola
Just read about Mecca Cola, a soft drink manufacturer trying to sell itself as an alternative to the American cola behemoths.
It's slogan?
No more drinking stupid, drink with commitment!
Not sure quite how I would feel about this if I were American...
Congratulations...
...to Tomo and Rie, who had a little girl yesterday, and also to Katsu and Rieko, who had a little girl last week. So, of the 4 couples I know who were due to have children, 3 of them have now produced daughters.
Pictures of these friends, and others who came to visit us over the New Years break, are on the new Rosie Vistors Gallery.
January 07, 2004
An Over-developed Sense of Right and Wrong
Somewhere along the line in my 30 years of living on this planet, I have developed a strong sense of what is 'right' and what is 'wrong'. I quite enjoy arguing about 'right' and 'wrong', and enjoy being right.
I'd like to think that as I get older I am getting better at dealing with the times when I am wrong, but I'd be lying to myself, really. In many ways, living in Japan is perfect for me, because people tend to follow societal rules here almost religiously. It is perhaps this mass adherence to the rules which make the exceptions to the rule stand out so clearly. I have taken to pointing out to people very loudly and obviously when they are doing something 'wrong'.
It's all Megumi's fault, really. when she was heavily pregnant, we caught the train a couple of times, and perfectly fit, able-bodied young men were sitting in the seats allegedly reserved for the old, the disabled and the pregnant. 2 or 3 times I politely asked these young men if they were injured. The response was always a puzzled look (just once a defiant 'NO'), whereby I then pointed to the sign that tells you that the seats are reserved. Without fail, they got up and gave Megumi the seat, whilst apologizing profusely.
More recently, I have become somewhat annoyed by people parking their bicycles in the wrong place. Near our station, the city has decided to decorate the area by putting down nice flower boxes on the pathway to the station entrance. There is not much room to walk, so the city has put up around 8 or 9 signs asking people not to park their bicycles next to the flower boxes. People still continue to do so, clogging up the path so that it is very difficult to walk to the station. Twice in the past few weeks I have scolded the culprits. Once, a middle-aged man feigned a look of surprise, the second time, a teenage girl pretended not to hear me. On both occasions, they then moved their bicycles and apologized.
I should probably chill out a bit and not let these things get to me, but I just find it bloody obnoxious when someone smokes next to a non-smoking sign or stops their car right over a pedestrian crossing...
Telephone call with no telephones
It's difficult to get back on the blogging horse when you have been knocked off it, but I'm going to try. The other day, I used some new software which is included with the Mac operating system. It is called iChat, and it is very clever. Like other instant messenger software, it enables you to type text messages to your friends, all over the world, and 'chat' with them in 'real time'. It also goes one step further. Ther is a telephone button, and if you click on it, it initiates a telephone call with the friend you are connecting to.
The interesting thing is that there is no telephone used, no telephone wires, no headset, and no microphone. Since all Macs have built-in microphones, you just talk normally into your computer, and you can have a free conversation with a friend. Now, since I was talking to Dirk who lives just a few miles away, the cost factor isn't such a big deal, but imagine if I could get a few people at home to use Macs, and then talk to them for free...
It was a strange moment. One of those times when something technological just makes you think 'WOW, that is so cool'. Like the first time I used a heated Japanese toilet seat...
(the ichat software also allows you to have video conversations, but Dirk and I haven't got the right equipment, so we couldn't test it out.)
January 05, 2004
Small Rosie Snaps
Just to remind myself and anyone else looking what she looks like!
Gary's Broken Blog
Over the weekend, all my blog files and pictures got deleted somehow. I will be rebuilding it over the next few weeks.
Thanks to Dirk, Nils, and Gregg for their help and advise.