Simple Tuna Spaghetti

1 clove of garlic chopped
2 pcs of green/red chillies chopped
1/4　of red/yellow ball pepper cut in squares
50g of spinach
1 can of flaked tuna
150g~200g spaghetti
salt and pepper

Bonus ingredient for Japanese taste
*Flaked seaweed or aka shiso

1. Fry garlic and green chillies until golden brown
2. Add cube cut ball peppers. Stir fry
3. Add spaghetti and mix.
4. Add flaked tuna and stir well. Finally add a pinch of salt and pepper for taste.
5. For added Japanese flavor, put flake seaweed or aka shiso (dried seasoned laver) as topping.

Ashta no Kioku (Memories of Tomorrow)

A middle age man soon to be 50, doing great in his career as a manager of advertising company, loved by his co-workers and his boss, has beautiful loving wife and a daughter that is going to married. A typical successful white-collar Japanese.

Everything seemed perfect until one day he is baffled by his own clumsiness of being late and absent for meetings and important events which he never miss in his entire life. His wife Emiko insisted him to visit the doctor and they discovered the ugly truth about what they’re about to face.

This is a story about an man facing Alzheimer who is barely yet to be called old, long way from retirement yet forced to make choices that required sacrifices he never imagined before, his ordeal and his wife change way of life.

Unlike the movie “Notebook” also incorporating Alzheimer at the end of the story, “Ashta no Kioku” puts the viewers into patients shoes, relating to their feelings and hardship they had to face. However, the movie only shows the pre-stage of disease, where the patients are aware of their condition yet unable to control their absentmindedness slowly progressing until he finally forgets his own wife name.

Photograph the Light

I want to share quote on photography I got from DPS feature landscape photography.

Photograph the light, not the landscape

I was to focused on composition I rarely forgot the real source of photography is the light.

Pentax K100DS/Tamron 18-200mm ISO200 f8 @75mm(DG)
Picasa3.0

I was always fascinated by light since I was a child and I will always remember the lights that penetrates through kitchen smoke of my late grandmother’s house.

Here some sample from DPS on photographing landscape by focusing by light.

http://digital-photography-school.com/photograph-the-light-not-the-land

Little Girl

Recent days, I just lost my appetite. I only ate just to stay strong enought yet food taste so blant as I force the food into my throat.

Yesterday I went BBQ with my officemates family at Yamada Lake. There is small hill with only trees at the top of the hill. I look up and saw children running happily. I look up in the clear blue sky. How long have I not looked up?

I climbed up hill and sat alone on the green pasture able to see everything surrouding me. The grass shimmering in gold beneath the sunlight.

Sometimes I feel I want to be the little dreamy girl with no worries and full of imagination.

BBQ with officemates

I was invited by my senior to join BBQ with him, his family and some of the workers at my office. Some of them has just got back from overseas are decided to have some fun after leaving their beloved family for months.

The BBQ was held at Yamada Lake Park (山田池公園） in Hirakata. They brought along their wives, some of them are ex-employees of our company (office romances proves to be interesting )  and their children. I was surprise that their children, most of them are barely 2 years old despite being in mid 30s compare to my Malaysian friends around my age with older children.

Anyhow, we had a great time. The guys were kind enough to cook some seafood before doing the meat. I did bought a bento for myself though, so I would go hungry. The park was spectecular, I discover that family picnicking scenery there, really break the image of Japanese not caring about their family. I found they just the same as any families around the world.

The park was beautiful. There is a small hill where the children had some fun. From below, you can see how breathtaking the view up to the hill with the blue sky background. I was too shy to bring out my DSLR which somethings made me think whats the point of using it anyway.

Despite everybody being a family man, I never really felt being left out. The wives of my colleagues are friendly, the children are cute to play with, the guys are sporting to talk with.

After the BBQ, Mr.F and his wife P showed me around the park with beautiful lake view. The park is actually far from my home around 20mins by bicycle and the on the way, there are lots of hills, but I would like to go here someday again. On our way back home, we went to a street with beautiful old fashion house with dark wooden walls and then stop by at Mr.F wife’s favourite udon restaurant near the office.

I really quite enjoy the whole day, BBQ with a family.

Family Names:Fukuda, Ishiimi, Asano, Tani, Kobayashi

10 Practical Tips To Get People to Remember You

I forgot where I got these tips on the internet, but I would like to share it. Its great for career and also personal life.

1. Order 500 note cards with your name on them right now and put them on your desk in a place where you can see them. Having them in front of you will remind you to get in contact with people.

2. Write and mail at least three handwritten notes per week. Three per week equals 12 to 15 per month, which means about 150 contacts per year who are likely to remember your name and your business!

3. Search the papers, trade journals, and business publications for reasons to congratulate people: promotions, awards, etc.

4. A note doesn’t have to be long. ”Congrats” or ”Kudos” with your name at the bottom of a handwritten note is all it takes.

5. Make your emails less routine ? look for ways to make them more conversational, use catchy words, etc. Refer to our Ask the Pro expert Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts for tips on the importance of compelling subject lines in emails.

6. Send small gifts whenever you can! We send a copy of our book, Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results, and a Speak Like a CEO Toolkit (a 6-CD set) to any new contacts we make. We call the book our ”big business card.”

7. Write a note inviting someone to attend an event with you. If you know that a colleague is looking for ways to get more business, invite him/her to a networking event he or she might not know about.

8. Look for ways to help people outside of business. If, at a social event, someone mentions they need a new landscaper, send them a note with the contact information for your landscaper. Every time they look at their beautiful new yard, they’ll think of you!

9. Introduce people by email to someone you believe they would like to know, or tell them about a person who could be a resource to them.

10. And here’s a no-brainer: refer business to others! Write both parties and tell them you want to introduce them to each other. (Just remember: only do this if you actually value the person’s services. Never refer business just because you’re hoping to get a referral in return.)

Take a lesson from Bill and try not to get frustrated if you don’t see immediate results from your efforts. Staying in touch and becoming top of mind is the result of lifelong habits you can start today. Integrate them into your business life, and eventually it all comes back to you.

Pleasant Surprises

This picture is taken with iPhone 3GS 3.0MP with surprising of f2.8 aperature

In the morning I got my package of white wooden rack I bought on the internet which cost a bomb after I’ve discovered the quality is not as it seems. 5000Yen for a some pieces of wood bind together poorly, its not worth the money. However it does look nice after I’ve assembled it.

While assembling it, I got a surprise visitor that I’ve never seen for a long time. Zana my junior who is the nearest age to me in Nagoya. She used to be a mystery girl until I went an adverture to Hokkaido with her, and some sempais. It was one of the best memories I ever had. She even talk about it, which I’m really happy because we kinda agree it was great. She came to Osaka to continue her masters is Biotech.

This time she bought along her husband named Zu I think,which I met for the first time and her her cute baby, Iskandar. She came to pick up her bags, but since the bags was too heavy and big, I help her carried it out until Osaka University International House at Toyonaka.

Toyokana is quite far from Hirakata although in the same Osaka prefecture. We had to go there by monorail. Her apartment is quite big suited for the family, fully furnished. She only had to buy some plates and cooking utensils.

After dropping her bags, we went to a shopping mall situated just along the monorail path. We talked alot about old times. She never changed a bit, but I realised maybe I have changed alot.

Anwhow, I went back home feeling happy another person close to me is living Osaka. Maybe we will have some good time next time.

iPhone

Phew, what a crazy week with men and also hectic with work. Today I did some overtime, which I quite enjoy really. I need to finish one Hong Kong project I had been doing this whole week by this monday, but unexpected deviasion project came along today which the dateline is also on Monday.

Anyway, after work, I happily went home and yeay got my iPhone 163Gs.

The shop attendant explain everything about the risk of having iPhone and oh boy, it was scary. I’ll explain later in another post.

I felt heavy burden to let go my old handphone. I still love it though. But I wanted an MP3 player and some applications that I can share my pictures and read some documents real time outside.

Not that my old phone can’t do that, but it is quite tedious and has very limited space. There is a little regret though that I got iPhone because my old phone still looks good despite using it for 2 years.

I only have to pay 780Yen month installment for the phone. But I also had to subcribe the internet and few other options for 24 months. There are many traps using iPhone via Softbank, but I hope I won’t fall into one.

Dokushin Nabe

Yesterday, I had Curry Udon. Tonight I’m having bachelor nabe for just 450Yen. It would be nice to share it with someone.

New seat

Today I had to moved to another seat between my manager and senior. Before this I sat next to an old lady and my senior which I felt relief because we’re one of the only 4 women in the technical and design department. I thought I’m gonna felt weird moving in the middle of the guys.

To my surprise, I kinda like my new seat. It was comfortable really sitting in the middle of my seniors which I don’t know why, and I concentrate much better, maybe I sit next to my manager who is very quiet but charmingly funny really balancing out my senior,  who seems to can’t sit still really due to overwork and stress but really he is quite kind and patience enough to teach me despite I’m asking too many repeated questions.

Infront of me in another senior, who seems to have light hands. Sometimes when I just asked simple questions, he would offer more than I asked which I’m really greatful sometimes. My department is full of great people, which each has unique characteristics, that I want to talk about them all but I think that will be next time.  Although I can’t converse with them like I used to talk to my officemates in my previous office, I still kinda like them as my seniors and maybe like older brothers. One thing though, working here did really change my perception about people older than me and quite enjoy talking to them.

Everyday, I’m motivated to become a better engineer which I hope I could help them and other people with all my might. InsyaAllah.