Bisdak Babbles

So many things that are made of metal in the photo below.

This was taken outside the Osaka immigration office.

Two months have passed and the day has finally come.  Gelai and I bid another sayonara to our colleagues.  For some ignorable reasons, I am a bit relieved to leave.  But as I have mentioned a few times, I thoroughly enjoyed the projects I did in that company. The team leads are kind and and patient to put up with my elementary-level Japanese conversational skill.  I wanted to stay but it’s a fact that recession got us.

I’m a little bit worried about our company, though.  As of now, there are already about five people who don’t have any assignment.  I just hope this won’t affect us in any way.  Interviews are hard, but I sincerely  hope our manager could find us another assignment soon.

A dollar store, as the name implies, is a retail establishment selling inexpensive items, mostly at one dollar or less. Here in Japan, we have the 100-yen (hyaku-en) and the 99 (kyu-kyu) stores. (100 yen is roughly equal to a dollar).  Many things that you can find here in our apartment are bought from 100-yen shops. Considering that this is Japan, kitchen wares that cost 100-yen is already cheap. Even if they’re cheap, they’re durable in some way. Luanne and I are very lucky that our apartment is very close to two 100-yen shops. If they’re a real hit here in Japan, I wonder if a dollar store franchise would also attract Filipinos in the Philippines. 100-Peso shop would be way too expensive, but how about a 50-Peso (about US$1) Shop?

Memorization has never been my forte. But at least when I was still in grade school and high school, I memorize things after going them over dozen of times. I didn’t like history classes because of the dates, names, places I had to memorize, but I somehow managed to get through them. In most cases, I forget everything after every exam. As I breeze through more than two decades of my life, my memorization skill seems to degrade. Does having gone through pregnancy have to do with this? If I had managed to memorize things after 12 repetitions, now I need to repeat it a dozen times more! This makes my struggle with the Japanese language more difficult. I guess every flash memory device far exceeds my ability to retain information!

Do you have any idea how to boost your memory? A tip or two would be much appreciated.

I’m actually employed by a staffing company, and I was sent to the current company almost a couple of months ago.   So far, I like the people, the team leads, and the projects. When I got in together with other Filipinos, we were told that the contract would only be for two months, but there was a big chance for a contract extension until March next year. There was even a time when we were asked if it’s OK for us to work until 11PM everyday because it’s gonna get very busy.

Then recession became worse, and I think some projects were canceled. Last week, our leader told us that our (another Filipino colleague and I) contract will end this month.  So, by Friday this week, I’m gonna pack my stuff again and move out of the office.  Well, I’m gonna look forward to another batch of interviews again.  With the current economic situation, I hope our manager could manage to get at least one…

My father had always loved electronics, especially audio and video electronics.  When he first went to Saudi Arabia to work, he bought that what we called a “component”.   That audio gadget, along with its two huge music boxes and about a dozen parts is still at home.  He loved to sing, so when that karaoke machine came out, he also bought one.  Then came the CD player, then DVD player, he bought home these stuffs, too.  He so loved singing that he also bought a videoke machine.  He even took home a home theater before I even heard about it.

My mother always told him that he’s just wasting money but I just loved helping my father out setting up all those stuffs.  But I loved it more when I see him enjoying those things he bought.  I loved to hear him sing his heart out.  I really miss my father. Anyway, I’m a little bit worried about all those things he left us.  Among us siblings, my father knew trusted me to take care of his things.  When I have the chance to go home, it’s one of the things I must do…

Indeed, the cost of living here in Japan is very high. Clothes aren’t that much of a problem, if you only know when and where to buy. I’ve already learned to watch out for end of season sales when clothes are sold from 50-80% off the original price. But when it comes to food, of course, it’s way more expensive here than in the Philippines. Pork is sold at about four times the price in the Philippines. Good thing chicken meat is not as expensive, the reason why I eat chicken more often than pork.  Basic commodities are very expensive, but there’s electronic goods here are undeniably way cheaper. If only I have more to spare for something extra, I would have bought lots of those. But, if you’re hoping to find cheaper ipods here, I think it’s almost the same price as in the Philippines. But I suppose they’re cheaper in the US? I have no idea…

“Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.”

- Robert Orben

I had a hard time tearing myself off from the warmth of my comforter this morning. Since it is getting colder, it is getting harder each day to get up and go to work. I do love what I’m doing in the office but many times, I had to face struggles such as this. The thought of delaying a task because of a possible day in bed usually brings me to my feet. But I guess Robert Orben’s idea is a lot more convincing.

How about you? How do you convince yourself to go to work?