two years

Yesterday, two years have passed since I moved to London. When I descended upon here, I never imagined I would still be here now. I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to complete the university course. So, now I’m very happy about the fact that I am working here and somehow feeding myself.

But I’m not satisfied with what I’m doing now. This is not just an unusual experience in my life, but it’s meant to be a very important part of my career. I need to do what I should do now and what I can do now. Lately, I’m thinking that that’s actually not my own fault, but it’s just because of the current situation which I am in. It seems that I need to have a fairly clever think in order to change something.

I always think I am lucky. I should say I was lucky that I’ve got a chance to come to London, probably at the right time! There were also many good lucks happened before, which are now helping me live and work in London. Just before I left Japan for London, a friend of mine said to me that I am actually not lucky but I am just able to make good lucks happen. Since then, I sometimes think that the important thing is to believe. If you do not stop believing, something will happen. So, I would never stop believing that the time will come some day!

we will rock you must go on

I went to see We Will Rock You a while ago. It was the second time after I saw it five years ago when I went to London for holidays quite soon after its launch. I’ve been planning to go again since I moved to London as I thought it’s worth seeing twice.

I remember the first time, it was not just a musical but a concert as well. It was absolutely magnificent. Although I couldn’t follow the language very well, I could enjoy it so much. Unfortunately, this time I was very stressed from my work as it was in fact the day before a deadline and I was a bit too tired to enjoy the show. Even so, when the band started playing some of Queen anthems like Killer Queen and Somebody to Love, suddenly my eyes became watery.

I started remembering about last time I was in this theatre. At that time, each song made me emotional and I kept crying almost throughout the show. I didn’t have a clear idea of what made me so. Probably, it was because the band was fantastic and was as if the real Queen members were playing. Even this time some songs made me so and I’ve realised how Queen’s music is special. There’s nothing like it.

The show itself was of course fantastic. It is such an enjoyable musical. In the story, Freddie Mercury is very much praised as a legendary rock star, and the audience clap and cheer for it. Literally, this ‘ritual’ is happening every day for more than five years. Also, the cast have been doing the same thing. This is incredible!

'GORE let it out'

It seams I’ve written about quite serious matters lately, so today I’m gonna write something about British English.

But, what is British English? Is it the so-called Queen’s English or is it like David Beckham’s speaking? It seems there’s no definition. An English teacher has said, there is no ‘typical language’ in English. After living in the UK for nearly two years, I’m realising gradually that there are several different ways even only in terms of pronunciation.

I’m getting able to have some idea of from where a person comes from her or his speaking. Now I can somehow recognise cockney accent and also sort of northern accent.

Recently, I’m quite interested in the northern accent. One of the reasons is the TV drama Life on Mars, which I’ve reviewed on this blog before. The story was based in Manchester and the people’s speaking was very difficult. For example, the “o” sound is more like “or” i.e. “hole” is similar to “hall’. If you listen to some Oasis songs carefully you will notice it. When Liam sings ‘Go Let It Out’, the “go” sound is like “gore” (does it make sense?).

As I still sometimes get confused with “o” and “or” sound, this was an interesting discovery. I’ve listened to many northern English bands like Oasis and the Verve, so this may be why the “o” sound still confuses me.
In other words, it doesn’t really matter even if I confuse with “o” and “oh” sound, as most of the people will understand anyway.

This is just one example of the many aspects of the diversity in British English that I’ve noticed. I would like to keep on talking about it sometimes.

unfinished monkey business

For the past few weeks, I’ve been so busy with deadlines on every Friday. I’m so stressed. I’m now again suffering from the ‘holiday escape’!

Today, I was told by the boss like this.

“We are not monkeys so you need to say something when you have any doubt before you draw it.”

I didn’t really care as I of course did so. That’s just essential. That’s the sort of thing that any boss might say.

I’ve actually confirmed with the project architect if he was convinced with that strange idea. He was convinced, and I didn’t take it seriously, because the time was so very short. It was also because I’ve just returned to that project after three months absence and wasn’t too sure about what was going on. We aimed to finish everything by last Friday although the actual deadline is tomorrow, as the project architect were to go for holiday. The fact is, there are still some things left even though we’ve worked until midnight. Furthermore, we are making some changes to the design without the project architect just before the very crucial deadline which will affect the competition result.

To be quite honest, I don’t really wanna be called as monkey. My pride wouldn’t accept it. Never. However, more important thing is the truth that my boss has said such kind of thing to me. I mean, this might represent how he treats me. It’s not a matter of age, but it’s about evaluation.

I believe I’m trying to do my best with motivation and ambition. However, this is probably the truth. It is always difficult to convince the bosses through everyday work. Particularly, it is actually difficult to deal with our boss who is over 70 years old. It is a difficult but essential subject to give good impression to the bosses in order for forwarding my plan.

in only seven days

Last week I was very busy. Not too busy, but it was rather mentally hard. However, I could do much more than I’ve been doing before.

Despite my expectation to be easier after the tender issue at the end of the week before, there were so much to do with the project last week. In fact, the project architect has gone to a holiday! So I needed to deal with a lot of things on behalf of her. I felt that she had almost escaped, as there were so many mistakes in the tender issue and I had to prepare a lot of information by the end of the week.

I had to work with our boss. He is already about 70 years old and quite difficult to work with. Although he had been working with us on the project, he wasn’t aware of everything and kept on asking me about many things that even I don’t know! The most difficult thing was to identify which part of work I should ask him to do and which should be done by myself. Also, I had to make or answer to a lot of phone calls and speak with other consultants, suppliers and even the client.

It was really hard. Even now in the Sunday evening, I’m so tired. But it was a really good opportunity. I was enjoying it. Generally, I sometimes hesitate to do something, particularly the things I haven’t done before, but this time there was no choice, I had to do it! Now that I feel I could develop myself quite a lot only in one week.

Am I getting closer to the project architect!?

history of tea

Lately, when I was having a little chat with my English colleague in the office kitchen, she said,

“Japan must have much longer history of tea than England?

I wasn’t sure. But, this is absolutely true.

For Japanese people, tea, especially ‘afternoon tea’, is one of the most important aspects of England and is believed to be a very traditional culture. I had such kind of feeling, too. However, when I looked at Wikipedia about the history of tea, I was so surprised! It was mentioned, that tea has been brought to England in 17th or 18th century, which is not very long ago! On the other hand, Japan is believed to have its tea history since 8th century. I did know that tea is not grown in this country but…

I had already realised that tea is not very common among the English people. More people seem to drink coffee. Furthermore, I haven’t seen an English person having a black tea! They don't seem to enjoy a subtle taste of tea like Japanese people do.

‘Afternoon tea’ must be a wonderful culture, but now it seems it is not worth comparing it with Japanese tea ceremony. Japanese tea is not only a culture but it also influenced the style of architecture very much. It must have had a great influence to the mentality of Japanese people, particularly through tea ceremony.

In the first year of my stay in London, there used to be a lot of amazing rediscovery about Japan, but recently it didn't happen so frequently. So I’m now very happy about the new discovery about tea. This is something we Japanese people can or should be proud of!

the verve reunion!!

It’s incredible!!! The Verve is reunited!

I’ve just happened to find this news and I still can’t believe it. The Verve is one of the most important bands for me. Particularly, Richard Ashcroft, the front man and vocalist, is the charismatic person – more ‘practicaly’ than my dear Freddie.

They had split up in 1999, and as far as I’m concerned they finally didn’t manage to come to Japan and play. But I could luckily see their concert once – I flew to England and chased them to Leeds in 1998. It was a bit reckless plan. I left Tokyo on a Saturday and in Sunday morning I took a train from London to Leeds to go to V Festival. I didn’t book any accommodation and I didn’t even have a ticket! However, everything went so well! Ultimately, I was so very lucky.

Even at that time, the guitarist Nick had already left the band, and to be honest the concert was not very convincing. But, now they have already announced the tour dates in November, so I will finally be able to see the very original Verve!! I am so lucky again, I have never ever imagined this would ever happen!

I’ve been feeling that recently I’ve written too much about music, which is not the main theme of this blog, but I really couldn’t help writing this.


*photo taken at Richard Ashcroft concert in June 2006 at Old Trafford Cricket Ground Manchester