Diet

Last December, I posted my first “before and after” photo on Facebook. That was three months after I started my low-carb diet. Since then, I have posted 4 more times to show the progress. Don’t worry, this is the last “before and after” photo since I already reached my goal. I will just try to maintain it.

Watching Winter 

 I watch...

the sun paints 

the roofs 

in shades of orange,
why not blue or green?

the last two 

maple leaves 

finally let go -
can they survive the cold
like Hansel and Gretel?

 the Christmas twinkles

fill in 

 for the fireflies
to bring back
the warmth of summer 
nights

 myself melts

in front of the mirror 

naked

a reflection stare back at me 

 without blinking

 was I a snowman 

or a scarecrow 
or a human

 /totomai

Salaryman

This morning I was awakened by a strong earthquake, two minutes ahead of my daily alarm setting. I immediately sat on the edge of the bed. While waiting for the shakings to stop, the ghost of the March 11 earthquake flashed back. As soon as the earth stabilized, I switched on the lights and proceeded with the routine of a salaryman. Shower. Eat. Travel. Work. Eat. Shower. Sleep. Pretty exciting life, right?

photo by Noemi

Soulless

So I guess I will continue to randomly pick books in the bookstore. This is the second book I bought which I never heard of but ended up enjoying every page. As long as it has a nice cover and a not-so-thick number of pages, I guess I will give it a try. Again.

Dim

I just had my very first business trip in the Philippines. It was a one-week assignment in Bataan to commission and start-up the equipment we supplied to one of the refineries in the Philippines. My work was finished a day earlier so I asked the approval of my superior if I can have a quick vacation to my hometown. He agreed. But that request is being threatened by the incoming super typhoon.

empty bottles were painted, and turned into a creative chandelier

saw this in a local restaurant in the Philippines

Edge

I am at the edge of my seat. Lately.

It's been a quite busy and interesting month for me. Three of my weekends were spent for business trips in South Korea and Malaysia. This made me long for a good weekend at home. But how to when I failed the recent medical exams and I am subjected to further tests today. I can feel that I'll be fine and that the results will be normal, if not, I may have a minor operation. And that would mean the Angola business trip is not meant for me. Or that would mean, I have been working hard lately. Or could just be stress-related.

Talking about business trips, this year seems busier than last year's. Last week was my 26th flight for 2014 and we are not even half-way yet. I may go to USA, Malaysia, Ecuador, Angola, Saudi Arabia and India this year. And I don't know how to fit the schedule within the next six months. 

Anyway, I'll think about it once the effect of anesthesia subsides later. 

/totomai 
2014/06/19

Overseas

I have been working as a Process Engineer for a decade and eight out of those ten years, in overseas. Currently, I am in Japan and this country is turning to be my second home. Being in Japan for 7 years, I feel like I am turning Japanese especially when it comes to work ethics.

Necktie

Life of a salaryman is never easy. 

You are constantly on the run. From overtime work to business trips to seminars and trainings. You can only wish everything would stop for a while. And that you won't be in a business suit.

 

Soundless

At the dark end of the street , I found my new bestfriend – silence.

Since returning back to Japan last January, I decided to take a walk from the station to my apartment instead of taking a bus every evening after coming back from work This routine gives me a 10-15 minute break from the chaos brought by the pressures and demands of office deadlines and responsibilities. And yes, I’ll include business trips too. Walking along these streets, free of sounds, is like being in another world. Like you are in a Japanese novel. Like a haiku. It’s my energy drink to keep going.

 

2012

2013. 

How time flies. Since I am still on vacation, I was able to look back on the photos I took last 2012. Every place I go, I'll turn it into a photographer's paradise. Photography will always be a part of me and of this blog. And from thousands of photos I took last year, here are my 12 personal favorites (with blogs to some of it).

missed by naked eyes 

chorus of flashing shutters 

frozen forever 

YOKOHAMA. My favorite city and the first place I've lived in Japan. Got the chance to visit it again last June and it brought back lots of memories. Took this photo handheld. NikonD7000 high ISO didn't disappoint.