happylife

The deadline

It was the last day of June in Japan time and it was also the deadline of my small task, which I had put off again and again since the beginning of this year. Fortunately, I finished it barely in time right in the midnight and I feel happy now. I had no particular reason for this procrastination, and I knew I had better do it earlier, but I couldn't do it. I am a very slow starter and I often stop if I have started something. It seems to be my innate characteristics, but it isn't impossible to change it. I know I can be a fast starter if someone rushes me with a heavy pressure, though I don't like to be in such a position. I think I've become too lazy now, and I should be more self-disciplined.

Red tide

Red tide outbroke a few weeks ago around Vancouver and it's now spreading over not only False Creek but also Coal Harbor and Straight of Georgia. I was estimating the effect of this phenomenon too little; the sea water gets dirty and some fishes and shellfishes choke to death. However, I found a weird report about the side effect of this red tide. It says that red tide is caused by numerous, microscopic, marine algae which might possibly cause harmful damage on human's lung. The most scary thing is that we don't have enough information about this creature. No scientists can tell what kind of serious problems could be caused. I've got to feel itchy around my throat.

Ice cream sculpture

As I found a box of ice cream sold for only $2 in a super market, I picked it up without hesitation. Ice cream is popular and cheaper in Canada than in Japan, but this price was exceptional. The reason was that the paper box was almost broken and I had to move it into another container. As soon as I came back, I put it into the largest pan in my room, but it was still sticking out. That was a happy excuse for me to scoop and sculpt the melting edge of the ice cream. As I believe that ice cream is at best when it is partly melted, I continued this delicious, artistic and happy work until the loaf got small enough on the pan.

Big money

According to the news, the world's second richest man, Wallen Buffet is going to give most of his money to the world's richest man, Bill Gates who has just announced to resign Microsoft's CEO in two years and to devote himself to his foundation. Big money has the character to earn money was true here. Anyway, I don't like Gates and his Microsoft, but I can't deny the fact that he is a great businessman. Of course the work as a huge fund manager or investor must be different from those of a businessman, but I think I can expect him much better than other fishy funds or Japan's ODA. If his second job would work well and HIV/AIDS would be rooted out, I might get to like him.

A parade of ants

It was so hot and sunny that I went cycling to Stanley Park after lunch and regretted my thoughtlessness a bit, because it was Sunday. The cycling course was full of people and it was difficult to ride without touching the ground with the foot. I have never seen such crowded Stanley Park. Although it was crowded, I was sometimes able to pass other bicycles, but after a while, the flow of the bicycles was got slow down suddenly. No one could pass other bicycles any more. I wondered and looked out the head of the line, when I found the reason. A young lady with a good figure was rollerblading. She was wearing a bikini and no one dared to pass her. The bicycle line lead by a white bikini was like a parade of ants.

"The Google Story"

I'm now reading "The Google Story," a kind of biography of Google. Google is the most popular IT company in the world now. It looks way cooler and more elegant than any other companies like Microsoft or Yahoo. It is putting the highest priority on making good service while any other companies taking higher priority over business. I think that is the biggest reason for Google's popularity, but I doubt at the same time that Google would keep the present position forever. Sure Google's search engine and Gmail are great tool for me and I can't live without them only one day, but they themselves wouldn't make money at all; on the contrary they are running at enormous expense. The only money producing machine for Google is the text advertising system called "AdSence and AdWords." Those systems are working well for now, but they are standing on a very delicate balance of people who pay for advertising. I think Google is too popular, that is the expectation for Google is too high as is symbolized by its stock price. I'm now using Google's service just because they are convenient and free, and I just hope to continue using it. I don't hope that Google is influenced badly by its too high stock price.

Interview?

By a curious turn of fate, I was interviewed by a journalist of a famous Japanese newspaper yesterday. He told me that he came to Canada to interview a lot of Japanese people who are living in the U.S or Canada and he was trying to write a report with the title of "Goodbye Japan." He asked me why and how I am living here, and what I think about Japan. He seemed to be trying to gather my critical comments on Japanese policy or society, but I didn't say such things because I still love Japan and I'm actually living in Japan every half year. I told him that I'm trying to live based on the Internet and it is not a quite problem where I live. He seemed not to understand what I said because my explanation was not good, and because the idea of earning from the Internet is not realistic for most of realistic people yet.

Refund policy

Consumers in Vancouver seem to be protected very carefully. If we purchase something and we don't like it after several days, we can return it to the shop and get back the money. We don't any special reason or excuse, and all we need to be refunded is the item itself and the receipt, that's all. Today I bought a book. As I mentioned before, the book prices in Canada are extremely high. I paid C$35.63 for the book after the membership discount and adding GST. The regular price in the U.S is only $25, and to my surprise, we could get the same book from Amazon in Japan for only 2,651 Yens. Anyways, I found these statements on the receipt. The refund policy is effective on books too. It says that I can return the book within 14 days from today even after I have read it. Does it mean I can use bookstore like a library? The only problem is that I don't have such nerve as to return the book to the bookstore after reading it.

I'm a dog.

I'm a dog. I have my name but I forgot it because I'm a dog. I have been living on this 40ft sailing boat for years. To tell the truth, I don't like sailing because the boat heels and I can't hold my body by myself. As I can't retract my nails like cats on a slippery deck, I get at the mercy of the boat heel. I don't remember how many times I have hit my head or nearly drown. I love strolling on the land, but it's impossible on the boat. You might think I am a kind of unhappy or stressful dog, it's not correct. I'm enjoying my life on the boat. My friend who is the skipper of the boat sometimes drops his ball into the sea, and I would help him jumping into the sea to collect it. It is not only a great help for him, but also a good exercise for me. Taking a nap on the rocking boat is a super pleasant experience. I think my life on the boat is better than the normal life on the land in total.

Summer clouds

Most pilots hate this type of cloud called "cumulonimbus" because it implies a stormy weather, however, as I am just a novice private pilot and I don't have to approach it, I love this cloud simply as a symbol of summer. I think cumulonimbus is the most interesting cloud to be watched from a long way. It only grows in a sunny day and changes its shape in a short time. It's just like a moving mountain or an explosion. I really love the contrast of this white cloud and blue sky. It's now right in the middle of summer in Vancouver, and I hope to enjoy as much as possible.