Thank You, saviour... The getogether with Family isn't until this Saturday... Got a surprise today...

Called in an order to my favorite Mexican Restaurant today and when IO walked inside to pay for my order, As I stepped through the door, a number of the lady staff started singing the "Happy Birthday" song... and recording me in my surprise... and on top of that, when I went to pay for my order, I was told that it was on the house...!

Wonderful surprise...

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I agree with you about the difficulty of finding stability nowadays, saviour. I've been lucky enough to do things like going to university and experiencing life in different countries, but I don't think I've ever been all that comfortable financially. And another point about "reducing expectations" - that can be fine for a while, but without better stability, you can be a bit of bad luck away from huge problems at any time, even if your expectations are lower. That's the kind of thing that always worries me.

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Yeah, like my job is temporary but the pay and other benefits have provided a sense of stability I've never really had before. Sometimes I'm scared of moving back to Canada in the future because I don't think I could make nearly as much money as I do here and with the housing market plus my student loan payments...

I'm in a good place in Japan if I do want to stay here and find a stable direct hire job after (I would need to get my driver's license first, which is a pain) but I'd likely have to live pretty countryside and I'm worried if I live in the countryside for too long I'll never meet anyone and be single forever. lol But at least it's definitely an option. I've thought of moving countries, which would mean a pay cut but I might have more freedom with teaching and I could have free housing. I already decided what type of work I'd do if I move back to Canada and my experience teaching abroad fits into it very well. But right now that type of work in Canada is heavily impacted by the pandemic.

My mom has been trying to convince me to move back and I do noooot want to move back to my hometown or any of the surrounding areas. I love it but not to live in for the rest of my life. I guess my gut was right about moving to Hokkaido and I feel very at home here in a way I didn't back home. I think it's cool I ended up here by chance but felt for so long like this was the place I was meant to live in.

Thanks arren and FFF for your inputs.

There is another style that i think is getting popular its called FIRE -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIRE_movement

you work super hard and save a lot to retire in the 40s or 50s depending on saving rate

However the physical burden can be quite a lot. Not sure if it can decrease healthiness and make you ill.

To me this seems to be a Global Phenomena, for example 996_icu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system or this one https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downshifting_(lifestyle) or revenge bedtime procastination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedtime_procrastination

Why is this happening i am not sure. For example i can not say my Boss(Owner of the Company) is bad becuase i know for a fact that its not in his hand. It seems to me the speed of delivery of a thing(be it work, package, food, result or whatever) is extremly high to us. And this high expectancy is making everything very stressful. There might be other reasons as well.

Currently i dont have see a solution to fix it as people wont become more patient suddenly.

However this ultra efficiency ultra speed mindset definitely gives an edge to companies thus general people love those companies(for example Amazon or Alibaba/Aliexpress or other Giants like McDonalds Apple Google etc.). However it allows the aggregration wealth to specific people and oils the system even more.

To me this looks like a sign for dystopian future. Unless there is a way to solve this.

one way definitely is to break large companies as this will allow less efficient companies to have some business at least. This needs to happen globally otherwise pointless. another way is to have more social understanding of the situation. which seems very unlikely.

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Watch everything but only take the good things from it

Ask, think and learn. Because the more we know the more we grow.

Watching the wrong to happen is the same as commiting the wrong.

If it looks like things are forcing you to be creative, Then be creative.

its a uniquely Miyazaki film, one only he could make and its uniqueness places it beyond being easily critiqued.[About Porco Rosso]
taken from a quote of Saddletank and Orphic Okapi

It is hard for me to come to grips with this subject... All I can say is that I have been extremely lucky in staying healthy enough through the years so that I could work steadily, even if in different fields.

I have also been lucky enough(??? lol) in that the ailments I now have, have finally been attributed to my exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam. This has led to the coverage for ALL of my medical needs and a living expense as well..

I hope and wish that all of your cares and concerns will be answered in the coming years and that everything, or most anyway, will be in your favor...

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Yeah its quite complex situation. Hopefully it will move to the positive.

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Watch everything but only take the good things from it

Ask, think and learn. Because the more we know the more we grow.

Watching the wrong to happen is the same as commiting the wrong.

If it looks like things are forcing you to be creative, Then be creative.

its a uniquely Miyazaki film, one only he could make and its uniqueness places it beyond being easily critiqued.[About Porco Rosso]
taken from a quote of Saddletank and Orphic Okapi

So one thing I'm hoping to do before the end of this year is start the process of getting an ADHD diagnosis. I'm pretty nervous, but living undiagnosed has not been fun at all. And if it's not ADHD that I have it has to be something else and I would like to know, although after doing a lot of research I'm definitely a textbook example of an adult with undiagnosed ADHD. I have someone who offered to take me to appointments and translate and who is familiar with the process.

It might seem like not a great idea to get a diagnosis in Japan but most people I know who have tried here have had a pretty straightforward experience. The downside is the lack of therapy options and medications are limited to only a couple of kinds for adults. I'll be so happy and relieved after I do this but it's difficult to make arrangements and whatnot for me right now.

Most friends have been incredibly supportive and I would not be surprised if some of my coworkers have thought I have ADHD (I have a co-teacher who purposely keeps me very busy when I'm at his school, even if it makes him look bad to other teachers, and always tries to keep me on task or involved). A little worried how my family might react. They might feel guilt for not noticing sooner.

So Good luck with what is happening, but I would say that even if you are dianosed with ADHD, You've apparently done so well with your life up to this point... I mean, think about it... You've learned a much different language, applied yourself through your studies, obtained a position in a foreign country... Doing what you apparently love to do... You've come a long way from when I first met you in the Tavern...

Regardless of the outcome of the diagnosis, I have full confidence in your ability to deal with the situation...

And as for your family feeling guilt, be assured, many parents feel guilt in some degree... 'Oh, I wish I'd done this', 'I wish I'd done that', etc... There are many things I wish I could have done more for my kids as they were growing up, but you know what... I'll bet they are proud of what you have accomplished... I don't know them, but even if it was a profession different from what they anticipated for you, you've apparently have done quite well in your chosen profession and I am sure that they are proud...

You go,. Girl!!!

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Hey, sorry I've been REALLY quiet lately! I was pretty busy for a while there with a few things all right after another, and then I was away on a trip for the past week and a bit. I just got back last night! Anyway, how has everyone been doing lately?

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I've been good, came back from Bangladesh! Nice country but being a third world country the urban areas aren't the best, and the electricity gone out. But the rural areas are very lovely, I have a few photos I could show.

Although when I came back I had problems sleeping and using the bathroom which is quite unfortunate

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"I was feeling blue, but I'm better now."

https://linktr.ee/pfpchanger

Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holiday Season to all... And to all, a Good Night!

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BEST WISHES TO ALL AND A WONDERFUL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Kicking out the Bad's and bring in the Good in 2023...

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Happy New Year! We're about half an hour in here

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10:30am on 1st Jan, the sun is shining and the sky is cloudless. It cheers you up just to seen the sunshine. Lets hope this continues.

I wish you all a successful and peaceful 2023.

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Isakaya High School Roleplaying Info

"An old man like me stands no chance fighting against a high school girl in her underwear" - Oshino Meme, Nekomonogatari (Kuro)

hahahaha
At midnight last night (Calif time) it was pouring down rain!!! I still blasted off my handheld airhorns!!! lol One of my neighbors texted me a few minutes later, wishing me a Happy New Year... lol

This morning I woke up 0900 to bright sunshine, but now it has clouded over again at 1220... Time to go and get some breakfast at the local "House of Pancakes"...

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After all this time I caught COVID! I'm sure I'll be fine but I'm certainly not feeling great right now.

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Arren...

Have you heard of whether the "Only Yesterday" manga has ever been released in an English edition? I read in info about 'OY' in the back of "Studio Ghibli The Complete Works" about a manga series, but have only found it in Japanese... It sounds like something I would like to read.

Thank you..

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I'm afraid not! I wasn't sure and thought it probably hadn't been translated, and from what I can find at the moment, it doesn't look like it ever was. I spotted a fan translation, but even that only appears to cover the first two chapters.

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Too bad, but thanks for the look-see... From the piece in the back of the Ghibli book, I would have loved to read it, but I only know a few words of Japanese and the only Japanese word that I recognize is Totoro... And that is tattooed on my arm beneath his eyes and smile... lol

Take care and and thanks again...

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