stapler-wa doko desu ka?

A few random things in backwards chronological order (is there a word for that?):

• I'm going to Hong Kong on Friday! I'll be there for three days to see what there is to see, like H&M, giant pandas, and my friend Iris.


• Here's my latest ikebana creation:



• I just found the SNL digital short of the Japanese version of 'The Office' (I know, I'm late). It's pretty terrible, the only part that rang true was when Michael came out of his office to question the stapler debauchery, everyone started apologizing and bowing. I sit next to the principal at school, and by my count, 85% of the time that other teachers approach him, it is to apologize for something. What rang truer was this guy's reasoning of why a Japanese 'The Office' would never work.

• I also read today about how Japan is running out of engineers. I actually heard about this first from the superintendent of schools here. He told me and my parents about this problem when we had our awkward lunch together, and asked for our advice. I found this hard to believe as a local problem as the university in town specializes in engineering, and the local major employer, TDK, presumably employs tons of engineers to produce their micro-chips and other electrical-related, uh, stuff. But I remembered I had seen pamphlets at school directed at girls encouraging them to study hard in science and consider careers in engineering, with profiles of successful women working in science. I was quite impressed by these, and told the superintendent so, saying I thought it was a great idea to encourage girls to go into the traditionally male-dominated field, just like my mom had done. He took credit for the pamphlets, not sure if rightfully so or not, but he seemed to appreciate the comments.

• I went back to Lake Tazawa last weekend, here are some pics:

The last one was taken in Kakunodate - wisteria on a trellis in a park. I've seen here a lot of wild wisteria growing off trees in the woods, pretty amazing. Honjo Park is now also full of blooming azaleas in various colors - seems like they planted the park in careful anticipation of the blooming cycles - in case you get depressed when the sakura finish, the azaleas start!