Whirlwind

The recession in America is now being branded as a whirlwind? Is that what they're calling it now? Did Madison Avenue do another spin job?

A recession (or whirlwind) in Tokyo? Here is a definition: There is a recession in Tokyo when the line up to pay for your designer clothes is shorter than usual.

In Japan, well, Tokyo, people make money people spend money. It flows. the yen has jumped quite a bit as a result of the banking meltdown in the US, so foreign products are cheaper and i get a great rate when i send $ home. People are flying to Seoul to shop 'cause their currency has dropping making the difference even more extreme.

That being said, people -are- being affected here. Though nothing like in North America.
Areas outside of Tokyo and Osaka have been hard hit for a long time.

I'd say that I am affected by some corporate training contracts that are "pending", so it is not losing work, rather, not getting proposed work.

Here in Japan and especially in the US there was what I call a false economy for years: People spending money they don't have on things they don't need. Too much credit. People kept buying. Companies scaled up production and operations based on this. Now that it's crumbling, 'false profits' are going and 'false jobs' are now gone.

Everything goes in cycles. Economies go in cycles. When times are good people think they'll never end. When times are bad, likewise.

It is possible, not only to survive but thrive, during a recession. Where there is crisis, there is opportunity. You have to think differently. With the wipe out of the banking system, when it gets restored, it will not be the same as before. When the economy recovers it will not be the same as before. Things will be quite different in the future. Expect change. Don’t expect that a 'recovery' will look like things did before.

I predict that as I write now in January 2009, things will get worse before they get better. We have not seen the worst of it yet.

I’ll be ok. I am used to it. Here's why:
For the past 10 years, all my work has been on contract. I generally work 2-4 different places. Sometimes I am really, really busy. Sometimes I am not. When I am not working, I have no income. It happens. I've learned to expect it and manage it. Eventually it comes back.
Compare me to a Japanese "salary man" who has worked 10 years at the same company. If / when he loses his job tomorrow with wife, family and no savings (they've spent it all on Disneyland, Louis Vuitton bags and a host of other useless things). And, never having been in that situation, it's major stress. he's likely to jump in front of a commuter train (which happens far, far too often here).

Me? I'm fine. just inconvenienced by the train delay. Most Japanese, like Americans -- with way too much unwarranted credit -- have lived in a happy-happy world too long. Time to wake up, read a newspaper and learn what's really going on in the world.

Christmas in Japan

It's a funny place, Japan.

Japan is not Christian. It is "officially" Shinto, but largely Buddhist. No one understands any of it until someone dies, though. In Japan, Christmas is for couples.
Dinner for a "North American" Christmas is roast turkey. Turkey is not a Japanese food. Japanese have a severe affinity to borrow culture from Americans. However, the closest thing to turkey is chicken. KFC has Christmas promotions. I tell Japanese that in England people eat goose as a traditional food at Christmas. They look quite disgusted. They seems happy with their deep fried chicken.

I discovered the "Christmas cake" in Japan is, in fact, sponge cake, not heavy fruit cake. Japanese are surprised by this, of course. As Christmas is for couples, it stands to reason that it is a "romantic" holiday. Gifts are a must. What's the big gift to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Jewelry. And what beverage could go better with your jewelry, sponge cake and KFC than champagne? It's the beverage of choice for the most holy of Christian days. So, to review, KFC and champagne - that's Christmas in Japan. Weird, weird country.

The love hotels get long line ups during Christmas, apparently. I'll have to wander through Dogenzaka, Shibuya to check it out.

Christians in the west are not off the hook. Christians continue blindly to use Christmas trees, holly wreaths and mistletoe - all pre-Christian, pagan symbols; and continue to celebrate Samhain (Halloween), the pagan new year. I think Christians are confused as well.

The best investment in yourself

What is the best investment you can make in yourself?

Many people would answer: Education.
As an economist, I know there is a direct positive correlation between education (formal education) and income. The higher your education, the higher your income. What is formal education? It's "school". Lessons, lecture, assignments, examinations: a formal and recognized course of study. However, any education - formal or informal - is a valuable investment in yourself. You do not need to go to school. Read. Talk. As questions. Get curious. It may improve your income. It will enrich your life.

Some would say: Your health.
Shouldn't you always put the best things in your body that you can? It is you only body, after all. There is an endless selection of bad food easily available to us. Somewhere in and amongst all the processed foods, chemicals, and additives we lost our connection with the land. We lost our connection with real food. To invest in yourself, reconnect with your food. Take time. Plan your meals. Learn what goes into your food. Know what's good for you. Less animal fat, more leafy-greens, moderate exercise. Enjoy time with family and friends. Reduce your stress. Manage your stress. Be away of the effect that stress has on your body. This is something you can control. Drink less alcohol. Stop smoking. Stop smoking. Smoking will kill you. It's your body and it's an investment worth making.

Others might say that travel is the best investment you can make in yourself. Many of us in the developed world are in a position to travel to distant and far off lands. The experiences gained from exploring new places, discovering new things and meeting new people can be enriching and life-changing. Travel teaches you about the world, it teaches you about your own country and culture and it teaches you about yourself. There's a big world out there to discover. Yours to explore.

I resolve…

In North America the beginning of the New Year signals a new and fresh beginning. It is a time that people decisions to start anew – to make a change. These decisions are called New Years Resolutions. The most common resolutions one hears are:

- To quit smoking
- To go to the gym
- To lose weight
- To spend more time with family and friends
- To get out of debt

This time of year, early January, memberships to gyms and health clubs jump and how-to-stop smoking commercials appear on television. I am reminded of “Reveen” a stop-smoking hypnotist who always seem to come to town in January.

While making resolutions to improve oneself is noble, the vast majority of people are not successful. The likely reason is that New Years resolutions are imposed at one time of the year: January 1st. Rather, the preferable time to set goals is when you are ready and not when the calendar tells you it’s time.
What happens in Japan? Do Japanese make New Years Resolutions at the beginning of the year? Is there some custom?