Category: Skyscrapers
Do You Want Life to Go Back to Pre-Coronavirus Normal?
“We learn more in crisis than in comfort.” ― Abhijit Naskar As you have read the title, today’s question is “do you want life to go back to Pre-Coronavirus normal?”. And my answer to this question is maybe No. Earlier this year, when the coronavirus pandemic has spread across the world, I desperately hoped our lives to go back to normal as soon as possible. No international travels, no social gatherings, and no to almost everything we do. Our lives were radically changed instantly. But when I think about those days before the pandemic, our normal was a little crazy. At least my urban life in Tokyo/Yokohama was not ideal. …
Coronavirus
“COVID-19 has the potential to kill all presidential candidates prior to the election.” ― Steven Magee It’s been a couple of months since I started working from home. I never expected this whole thing would happen when this year began. Nobody did, maybe a few exceptions like Bill Gates. The silver lining was that at least I’m still employed and am allowed to work from my home. I should be appreciated for my last year’s decision to start a new career as a programmer that allows me to work from anywhere as long as I have an Internet connection. Okay, let’s get down to the main topic of today. It’s …
Cheers to Our Imperfect Life
“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” ― Amy Bloom My past few months were quite turbulent. Because of a sudden career change that posed many challenges, and other devastating personal matters, I started to question the way I have spent the past decade that led me to this point where I’m standing. Was it productive? Was it meaningful? Did I do anything that my future self would appreciate? When I asked those questions to myself, a countless number of painful thoughts rolled off the surface of my mind. I think I spent the past decade drawing in regrets. Thoughts that I thought I already moved …
Existential
“There is scarcely any passion without struggle.” ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays “The next year will be a wonderful year,” I told my friend, Wilson, when we parted at Shibuya station. Wilson is a good friend of mine, whom I met only a couple of weeks ago. He’s an Asian American and spent the last six years in Japan as an English teacher. That was December 29th, only three days away from the end of 2019. Personally, 2019 was a heavy year. Job change, struggle, love, and regrets. Like many other years, I have been through a lot. But the silver lining is that it …
Meriken Park
“It was only a sunny smile, and little it cost in the giving, but like morning light it scattered the night and made the day worth living.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald When it comes to the Kansai region, Kobe is sometimes overlooked, but the city is one of the major cities of Japan, offering many amusing places that are worth your visit. Meriken Park is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Kobe. It is kinda a counterpart of Yokohama’s Minato Mirai 21. A district with a western feel to it. Enjoy the view, have some drinks, and spend a fantastic evening. Since Kobe is only 30 minutes ride …
Our Generation’s Responsibility
“Men argue. Nature acts.” ― Voltaire Global Warming is real. Despite Trump’s ignorant remarks about climate change, it is happening in the global context. On July 25, 1933, a temperature exceeding 40 degrees was recorded for the first time in history in Yamagata as high as 40.8 degrees. Caused by a phenomenon called “foehn wind” in which wind from over the bordering mountain ranges in Niigata was transformed into hot air as it blew down into the plains. The record remained unbroken for 74 years, until Tajimi, Gifu experienced a record high of 40.9 degrees on August 16, 2007. And these were surpassed, in turn, on August 10, 2013, when …
A Slow Sunday Afternoon in July
“When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.” ― John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids Hi guys. It’s been a while since I last posted here. As for myself, July has been sort of a slow month. Nothing has dramatically changed except for the fact that I changed my workplace. And my life has been a little boring on the surface. Get up in the morning, go to work, do work stuff, get lunch, go home, surfing the Internet, studying coding… But deep down, many thoughts came through my mind. And life is just like …
Independent Thinking
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or Life in the Woods The current political climate doesn’t spark joy. Perpetuated US-China trade war, surging far-right movement across Europe, unrestrained human right abuse against ethnic minorities in China and a mounting number of Syrian refugees, the world as we know today would be largely different in a decade if we remain indifferent to matters we should be aware of. More than ever before, we’re required to think independently. Each and every one of us has a vital part to play in shaping the world today. Independent thinking – that might be a key …
Sunday Evening in Yokohama
“Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Gina and I walked across Yokohama, from fabulous Minatomirai 21 to Chinatown. Since time was running short when I met her on Sunday evening, we briefly walked through the downtown. Yokohama is my hometown, and I’ve been to this place for thousands of times. But it always feels fresh when I walk through the city with someone new to the place. She is a good friend of mine. We met last month in an international event and hit it off right away. She won’t stay here long and will fly back to Europe …