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?

Drinking in English

Visit English, Irish, Scottish, American pubs and restaurants in Tokyo
The cost of food and drink are not included.

Y1500 to participate each week for up to a 3 hour session. (8-11pm)

Discuss, sample and enjoy beer and other beverages from around the world.

It is easier to speak English in a social setting. And having a drink can't hurt the conversation,either. The focus is English conversation and an opportunity to practice speaking and listening. Topics can include aspects of beer, wine and whiskey (tasting, making, regions etc.), Pub culture, English-speaking culture, and travel.

Venues will vary:
- Aldgate - A great English pub in Shibuya
- Braeburn - A special Scottish bar in Shinjuku
- The Nelson - A one-coin bar in Ginza
- T.Y. Harbor Brewery - A micro-brew pub in Shinagawa.

Would you like to join? Please email me, post a comment or watch for more details here.

Do you know a great English / Irish / Scottish pub in Tokyo?

Post it here.

Shinnenkai -- John's Class - January 10, 2009

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Place: Wataminchi in Shibuya
Cost: Y3200

Please reply to this blog posting by January 7, 2009 if you can come.

George Carlin – The Modern Man

Think you understand English language and culture?
Try this:
George Carlin – The Modern Man
George Carlin was an American Comedian who passed away earlier this year. For over forty years he entertained with a very unusual style. He is very intelligent and highly opinionated about major social issues. His unique perception and ability to communicate made him very popular with people who see the world in a different way (like me). He was brilliant, unique, an original.

Watch this. He speaks very quickly. I encourage you to watch some of his other videos on You Tube. There are many.

Two countries, two ambassadors

Two countries made appointments of goodwill ambassador appointments recently. One in the United Kingdom and the other in Japan. Perhaps we can learn a little about each culture by the assignments they've made?
United Kingdom: Dignity Ambassador for the Elderly

Source: BBC News
In an announcement made May 20,2008:

Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson has been appointed a "dignity ambassador" in a government campaign to encourage more respect for older people in care.

Japan: Hello Kitty as Ambassador
Source: Japan Times

One day earlier, May 19, 2008, the Japanese government made an announcement of their own.

The cartoon character Hello Kitty will be appointed Japan's goodwill tourism ambassador to China and Hong Kong, according to government officials.

...No word of an announcement about a Japanese dignity ambassador for the world's oldest and fastest aging population...

Republican National Convention?: Happy to be Canadian

Watching the Republican National Convention makes me really happy that I am Canadian. Notice I didn't say "proud". I am so happy that my grandparents chose to immigrate to Canada in the 1920's. Why do I react in such a way? Seems that America is all about guns and god. And everyone's white. Frankly, it's creepy. That being said, I think McCain will win in November. That's America.

Math, Stats and General Equations

Math, Stats and General Equations

ROMANCE MATHEMATICS

Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy
____________ _________ _________

OFFICE ARITHMETIC

Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime
____________ _________ ________

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he needs.
A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she doesn't need.
____________ _________ ________

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
____________ _________ ________

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot
and love him a little. To be happy with a woman,
you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
____________ _________ _________

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men do, but married men
are a lot more willing to die.
____________ _________ _________

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.
____________ _________ ________

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED

Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, 'You're next.' They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

Google Chrome Browser Launch

Google launched a new browser today called: Chrome
Read about it here.
and get a real overview of this new open source browser at google: Google Chrome Story.

Download Google's Chrome Internet Browser

Stories as seen in the Search Engine Journal

Do you think this might help?
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George Carlin - Remembered - "Save the Planet"

George Carlin - Remembered - "Save the Planet"

Are you superstitious?

Friday the 13th is coming.... on June 13th
13 is an unlucky number in western culture. In East Asian countries "4" is thought to be unlucky and avoided.

Read more about superstition

Artist File 2008 - The NACT Annual Show of Contemporary Art

I've been so quiet here over the past several weeks. Not that there is nothing to write about. On the contrary, there is plenty! I've been so busy online and offline. Hope things are settling now for a couple of weeks. I look forward to writing again. Before I do, I want to introduce a great show - ending soon! - at the NACT.


"Artist File 2008 - The NACT Annual Show of Contemporary Art" Exhibition
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo
Schedule: From 2008-03-05 To 2008-05-06
Open April 29th (Tues) & May 6th (Tues). Closed April 30th (Wed).
Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558
Phone: 03-5777-8600