Natsu Yasumi (Summer Vacation)

Our group scheduled our natsu yasumi from Aug 11-20. Wasn't it exciting? If her trip was not cancelled, it could have been very much exciting. Anyway, Ryze and Jay would visit us for a mahjong marathon, hehe, I just learned how to play with mahjong, honestly I love the jokes thrown during our play than playing mahjong. But our boss had planned to give us a tour to Mt. Fuji. Yes!!! I am really very excited. My boss, Mr. Yoshizu, is a good, friendly, and cool guy (Not because of the Fuji-san thing of course). Just right before I came here in Japan, when our group first met him on a project meeting, all of us had thought that wat. He is not the usual Japanese guy who would just sit there and so quiet. You can talk to him about anything under the sun. I feel lucky to have him as my boss. Anyway, the tour on Aug 11 is something I could look forward to. Then, the Superman Returns movie with friends on Aug 12. Then, the Ginza birthday party for Ken the following day. And to be followed by a week of rest days. But I still have to attend on my Nihonggo class on Monday and Friday. Come what may, I will be enjoying the coming natsu yasumi.

Monkey Politics (A Friend's Point Of VIew)

I was tempted to write down the opinion of a friend during one of our discussions. He is also an IT like me who is working in Cebu. His situation sounds so familiar to me that it kind of amuses me somehow:

Oh. This month is July. And July is something I USED to look forward to. Why, because it is the merit rating month. When I first got hired on this company, merit rating is something that inspired me to work hard. Not now hehehe. Some were disappointed for it. Why? Because it is tainted with politics. Lickers keepers. If you know what I mean. Simple, you lick assholes and you get your merit. It's something like you are in a tree full of monkeys. If you are down there and you look up, you"ll see assholes. But if you are up there and you look down, you'll see smiling faces. And those who lick your asshole, you grab them up with you (Because it could be lonely up there or the licking could be just annoying hehe). I just had this burst of feelings of disgust when a more-senior colleague called me, "Hey congratulations!! you got promoted, now we're both S********rs". Ewww. Disgusting. I don't even give a damn. Before, I tried to do my best but they did not recognize it. Now, I am just doing it less then they promoted me. Too late, I work now because I was paid and I enjoy with this group. And if I'm gonna stuck into this position forever, just what happened to this colleague of mine, I don't have plans anyway to stay longer in this tainted politics.

Fading Venus

I once was so full of affection on Venus. She is everything I like in a planet. Beauty and charm shone from her with brilliance you could not find on some other planets. I liked her attitude, the way she roams around the solar system. Her smile towards the sun is full of charm yet witty. She has a will of a Mars yet, as Venus as she can be, fragile. But as I moved on towards Jupiter, Venus showed me her moons and stars, in a constellation telling me that she will fade away soon. Jupiter may be too massive for a planet but it was dull and dry, and Venus was all I wanted. But Venus never gave me a chance to prove unto her that she is far more radiant that Jupiter. I may be sent by the gods to Jupiter but my soul was on her mantle, resting. Now Venus is fading, far more than my sight could reach, less than my mind could imagine, and darker than a Plotunian mirage. She is so far, beyond miles. Now I could only rest my head, my heart, and my soul until the gods would send me back to my Earthen shore. For only then I could watch Venus on its glorious reign. For now, I shall dwell here in Jupiter's land, the land where i could see the sun rising, the land of the rising sun.

Tokyo Wildlife

I wander and wonder around the concrete forests of Tokyo. It is magnificiently advanced yet it is just a transformed equivalent of a normal wildlife. Its rivers are paved and concrete, with fishes as vehicles that swim through and through around unending brooks and streams. Its eagles soar high above the clouds, featherless and roaring, as planes. Tokyo lights are far more brighter and neon because stars and moons were hanged over its lamp posts. Imprisoned for eternity, they form constillations over bridges and highways. Its inhabitants are of elvenkind; fair, white, and delicate, working from dawn till night. And in the hollows of their concrete, leafless, lifeless trees, they burrow for gold, tirelessly and senselessly. Then in the downfall of their strength, they head for home to rest only to be devoured in the belly of the subway serpentine train.

Reality Bites

I miss Philippines. Yup. And I'm dying to go home. I just arrived here in Japan last March and my four-month stay is like hell. The pressure, stress, and everything is not helping me to encourage myself to hold on to Japanese lifestyle and work attitude. Discrimination? hmmm, quite rampant and obvious. Some of my filipino friends agreed with me about it but I just can't agree with their idea to accept these things shoved right into your nose for the sake of money. Some people would dare to kiss butts for bucks. I maybe this poor but happiness and dignity still are my top priorities. Money is not everything (though money is really something huh). The only thought that keeps me hanging on here are the trusts my superiors gave me when they choose to send me here in Japan(was it really trust, or they just dont have a choice bwehehehe). It is worth all my struggle and determination. For those butts-for-bucks people? No wonder most filipinos are nothing but foreign workers rather than domestic businessmen. No offense here really, it is just that reality bites, and I still have respect for your individual opinion. I just could not care less.