Import Mart - my dream job

I like import products, especially from ethnic. Because they are very mysterious and I feel that I can
derive power from them as they are made of natural materials. Most of all they are colorful and funny! So I often go ethnic shops when I have time. But there are only two shops in Matsumoto. It is too few for me.

Photo credit: Jim George

My ideal job is to open an import shop in Matsumoto. If I can be owner of the import shop, I will be able to see all goods from overseas buyers. And I will be able to buy not only for customer but also for me. It is like a dream for me!! I can truly recommend the goods which I bought from buyer to the customer because I really like these goods. I know that minority likes ethnic goods. So I would like to sell the import products from all over the world.

Now North European design is popular in Japan. So I want to provide more space for North European products. If my dream come true, I will hardly go back home!

Posted for Mio

Mending bridges - after reading "In Sarah's Dreams"

When I was a high school student, I belonged to a brass band club. I played bassoon and Akiko played clarinet. My best friend Yuka played clarinet, too. Yuka and I used to talked and practiced together. Sometimes Akiko was around us, but she had never spoken to us. And I had never seen her smiling. I thought that I didn't know what she thought. So I didn't like her.

At the time, I liked to read mystery novels written by Yukito Ayatsuzi. None of my friends had read his novels. I talked to Yuka about the novel I read and about Yukito Ayatsuzi passionately! Yuka smiled and said “It sounds very interesting!” “I have read this novel, too.” Suddenly I heard a whisper from behind me. I was surprised. Akiko was there. She had said “I love his novels, too!”. “Really! What is the best for you?” We talked with Akiko for the first time. And we couldn't stop talking about these novels. She smiled all that time. I changed my image of her after we talked. She was just shy. And she was funny!

We have been good friends ever since.

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My photo essay subject would be...dolphins

If I enter a photo competition, I would choose sea creatures, especially dolphin as my subject. 

I have seen on TV that when a dolphin breathed out in the sea, bubbles from its lip looked like angel rings. I thought what a beautiful that is! So I would like to get a picture of it. But it is difficult because this does not happen very often. Therefore I need to get advices from two professionals. One is a photographer who gets pictures in the sea mainly. I think it needs specialized technique to get pictures in the sea. And the other is an expert on dolphin. I have to learn about dolphin and where and when high probability of happening it is. 

Dolphin show at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I want to take pictures from front of dolphin because angel ring was seen the most clearly. If someone is allowed to wish so much, I would like to get a picture a beautiful-looking fish pass through the angel ring. If I can get a picture of this situation, I absolutely would be able to win a photo competition! Oops! Above all I have to take out my fear of diving into the sea.

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Lost & Found - after reading The Rainbow Girl

I am bad at directions. Therefore I often get lost. The latest was two month ago. It was happened when I drove my car to my parents’ home for two hours at night. At that time, I was very tired after work, and very sleepy. So I had to go to convenience store a few times to rest and to buy some foods to open my eyes. Because of that, I could wipe the sleep at last. But next, I had been lost in thought about our work. I have driven same way to my parents’ home many times, so I got careless. “Where am I?” The next thing I knew I drove on an unfamiliar road. I noticed I had to turn left the previous crossroad. But I thought when I would turn left the next crossroad, I also would be able to get home. But it was too naïve. I completely got lost. I tried to use navigation of cellphone, but that area is too poor cellphone reception to work well. I started to feel heat. “Don’t freak.” I said to myself. When I got a main street, the navigation of my cellphone started to work. And then I could get my parents’ home 30 minutes late. I thought even if we would used to do something, I would have to be alert.
Mio

After reading Death at Hadrian's Wall...

What 10 things would you put in your backpack for a long hike?

1 a tent: We can be out of winds and rains in a tent. And if we will sleep outside without a tent, it will very dangerous!
2 a torch: we can walk in the dark night safer.
3 a mobile phone: People who reads this book will understand it is necessary to walk for a long distance. If we will get into danger, we will be able to inform it to others quickly. As I am bad at directions, I want to confirm where I am by GPS.
4 raincoat: we need not wet clothes and ourselves if we wear it. So we can keep feel well.
5 matches: They are very useful to set fire when we cook.
6 a pot: If we take it, we can eat hot meal.
7: a map: This is one of the most need things. We can confirm the course to goal.
8: batteries: When the battery of torch run down, we can change it with new one.
9: money: We can buy foods, clothes and other need things. And we can stay a hotel or youth hostel and we can take a bath there.
10: medicine: If we have a stomachache suddenly, we need it.

Posted for Mio

The Black Night - after reading

There is a very valuable painting on display in a local gallery. 

Describe your plan to steal it without getting caught.

I ask my friends to be a member of my robbers’ team. At least I want four or five people who one can
trust in my team. To get down safety with this job, we need for more than one year. I think the local gallery borrows very valuable paintings for art exhibitions from a famous gallery. So we will steal it when the paintings would be carried back to the famous gallery.

First, one of my team will work for this local gallery as part-timer for about a year. And he has to earn the trust of the staffs. And he will say the boss that he knows the very high-grade and low cost transport company to carry art. That is our team! Others of my team will learn method of packing for art for a year. On this day, we will wear disguise. We will pack for art perfectly. And we will carry back them except for the painting we want. This plan is perfect …Oh! This is not perfect. When the staff notice the one of paintings was stolen, our friend who works this gallery will be suspected… I think I can not steal it without getting caught!!

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The Bride Wore Black - letter from beyond the grave (after reading)

 Imagine Steve could write a 'ghost' letter to Kate...

My dear Kate,

I am sorry to leave you feeling lonely. But when you fell onto the ground next to the grave, I was very glad that I felt your real love for me.

Certainly I am a criminal. I was in prison at the age of eighteen. But my life was changed after I met you! I love you, Kate. You were always singing and laughing. I was always happy to be with you. I never feel you are noisy. If I will be able to be reborn, I want to get marry with you again.

I have a lot of enemies. But I did not notice that Bea deadly hated on me… It was my fault. She was a secretary of my dad, but I should not have invited her for our wedding. I needed to care about her feelings. Don’t blame Bea on my death.

And I was sorry about my mam. As you know, she was not hate on you. She just wanted me to marry her friend, Bea.

I love to see your smile. I want to see your nice smile again. So do not cry any more. You have nice mam and clever young sister. Smile again, Kate!

With real love from heaven,

Steve

Ghost written by Mio

Between the Flags - after reading & I still can't swim!

I don’t like swimming. And I can’t swim the butterfly.

When I was an elementary school kid, I swam every day in our gym class during summer. We practiced mainly crawl and breast stroke, but we had to learn butterfly from the upper grade. We could learn it only for 5 days per season. Our teacher and our classmate who was a member of swimming club taught us. But I could not understand how to move my hands and legs. And there was not enough time for us to practice it.

But the last day, our teacher said “Now let’s swim the butterfly 25 meters without stopping! If you stop, start again.” I tried to swim hard and long time. I thought the goal was very near. But I noticed that I could swim only 10 meters! I was exhausted, and I could not keep swimming. Our teacher looked at me and said “Start again!” I thought my butterfly form was almost drowning, but my best friend was same level. I saw her swimming hard next to me, and I started to swim again. Finally I could swim 25 meters without stopping.

I think it is no problem for me not to be able to swim the butterfly. Because if I find a drowning person, I would swim crawl or breast stroke to rescue her, not butterfly.

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After reading "Shopping for Trouble" - shopaholic confessions

Why do you love shopping? What is the best store/place for you, and why? If you hate shopping, what is the worst store/place for you, and why?

I love shopping. My best store is Marayka which is in a mall called " I City". Marayka is an import shop from Southeast Asia and Africa. I bought some jewellery, like bracelets and necklaces, lamp, and wood carvings etc before. I can relieve my stress to buy something I like.
And I feel comforted that I am just in this store !

Posted for Mio