The sun was already down; the days get much shorter in September. I walked through a soccer field to go to another field in the back. Boys were scattered around the field, but as I walk closer, they gathered into a tight circle. I thought the practice was already over, but I heard the head … More A lukewarm soccer mom
I was having dinner with one of my business partners. He ordered his regular drink, his version of cosmopolitan with detailed instructions. “No problem.” The waiter answered and left. “I always feel strange about this. ‘No problem’ seems to imply that I gave him a problem.” He shook his head. I felt the same way … More No problem!
Occasionally, I get surprised by Americans’ verbal attacks. The other day, for example, I was standing on a subway platform in Manhattan that was crowded with commuters. The New York subway is a world beyond imagination for Japanese, who are used to clean subway platforms. In New York, the platform is narrow, dark and smells … More Kind Japanese
I grew up in tatami rooms. My mother cleaned tatamis, first wiping them with a wet cloth and then drying them with a dry cloth. Carpets could be changed easily, but tatamis remained there for a long time. I loved tatamis, but I would wonder how clean they were. When my parents built their house … More Be clean and feel clean
A CEO who had just come to the U.S. made a comment, “Everything is big in the U.S.” I nodded, “American’s physiques, houses and the amount of food they consume are all big.” He looked away, and added, “Well, those are big for sure, but I mean, some Americans tell barefaced humongous lies, don’t you … More Tell a lie, you’ll be a thief (a Japanese proverb)