OMFG I can't stop laughing at this...
6/24/2007
6/16/2007
Only in Japan
Here's an interesting find from the land of the rising sun...
Yes, that is indeed Ice Cucumber flavoured Pepsi. It does smell something like cucumber, and the taste holds a hint of cucumber, but other than that it's pretty Pepsi-like. FYI, cucumbers are meant to evoke a feeling of coolness, hence (I assume) this odd flavour.
The other treat is a salted ice-cream bar. Yes, salted. Actually, there's a well documented connection between salty and sweet, like chocolate covered pretzels. Or... well, maybe not so well documented. Anyway, it's surprisingly good.
Also, perhaps I just wanted to test out my new camera.
Yes, that is indeed Ice Cucumber flavoured Pepsi. It does smell something like cucumber, and the taste holds a hint of cucumber, but other than that it's pretty Pepsi-like. FYI, cucumbers are meant to evoke a feeling of coolness, hence (I assume) this odd flavour.
The other treat is a salted ice-cream bar. Yes, salted. Actually, there's a well documented connection between salty and sweet, like chocolate covered pretzels. Or... well, maybe not so well documented. Anyway, it's surprisingly good.
Also, perhaps I just wanted to test out my new camera.
6/14/2007
Damn you Namco!!!!
OMFG I think I just came.
Damn it why the hell is it an XBox 360 exclusive? Rumour has it it will come to PS3, but those are only rumours. Microsoft has already even developed a flightstick throttle combo for it, so unless Sony is following suit, does that mean it will remain only on Xbox? I dunno if i can wait...
Damn it why the hell is it an XBox 360 exclusive? Rumour has it it will come to PS3, but those are only rumours. Microsoft has already even developed a flightstick throttle combo for it, so unless Sony is following suit, does that mean it will remain only on Xbox? I dunno if i can wait...
6/03/2007
Professional business attire does not mean come to work dressed like a vagrant.
OK, so maybe it's not that bad, but I feel the need to rant a bit.
This past week, I went to Kobe for a JET conference for recontractees. The conference was fine, if a little warm that's to the A/C set to 25c throughout the building. Some really good workshops, some not so good. Ultimately, I think it was a valuable conference on professional development.
Yeah, professional.
While I realize that not everyone agrees on what exactly professionalism is, it seems that some sort of minimum requirement is necessary. Consider that the conference was for recontractees, people who want to do another year on JET. While for some people it's just a chance to fuck around and make more money, to many of us, it also signifies a greater commitment to our own jobs, even if they are contractual in nature.
Greater commitment doesn't necessarily mean that you need wed yourselves to your job, or throw you identity our the window in favour of conformity. Nor does it necessarily imply that JET is a career, though to a small percentage people it is a sort of feeder job into the world of EFL teaching. But if you make a commitment for another year, this means that you willingly play the role again of not only a representative of your home country, but of your school/CO as well.
Cargo shorts, untucked polo shirts, khaki pants, or running shoes do not fall under the realm of professional business attire, yet I saw an abundance of this in Kobe. There are some justifications I'm sure people cooked up for their attire: this is how I dress at work, or this is what is considered professional where I come from; or I'm not Japanese, so their conventions don't apply, or I don't want to lose my sense of identity; I didn't want to pack extra shoes because their heavy, or a shirt and tie are too hot for Japan; it's the last day of the conference and I didn't want to bother getting changed again or repacking my bags...
Ultimately, I think how you present yourself is indicative of how you view your commitment to your job. If you choose to be taken seriously, you will present yourself in that manner. Putting on a tie doesn't mean you lose your personality, a fact that is made plenty evident by the quality of some of the workshops I attended. But if you choose to dress like a tourist, then I have to wonder what kind of attitude you take with you into the office. Perhaps you do go to work with shorts and a t-shirt. That's fine if you're at work--I wouldn't want to run around the room with a bunch of 8-year-olds in a suit or tie either. Perhaps you dress in hawaiian shirts in your home country, as that's acceptable business attire. That's fine if you're back home.
But the simple fact of the matter is that you are NOT at your workplace, and you are NOT in your home country. You are at a professional business conference in a country where you are expected to dress appropriately for the occasion. I guarantee that those other teachers, who you work with and wear jeans and t-shirts to work with you, would be in their suits and ties if they were at a teachers conference.
This is a rant, so of course it is based almost purely on the distaste I felt at seeing people dressed like they were out walking the dog for whatever reason, especially when so many of us were in suits enduring the warm of a crowded hotel. Its sad that there's little real consequence to this, as the disapproving Japanese group eye has little or no effect on some people. But that doesn't stop me from wishing that something could be done about it. Photos are probably out of the question, as that would seem to smack of the sort of pseudo-fascist STASI-esque surveillance. Besides, we're adults right, and should know better. But a greater MEXT (Japanese Ministry of Education), or CLAIR (Council that in is charge of the JET Programme) presense might help curb some of the more excessive dressing habits.
It's a shame, because it's probably unprofessionalism like this which is helping destroy JET. The Programme already has a reputation for good pay for little or no work, and things like this can't help it. Assuming that the various Contracting Organizations get reports on what actually went on, it's no surprise that more and more places are opting for cheaper, probably more professional, non-JET ALT options like Interac.
OK, end rant.
This past week, I went to Kobe for a JET conference for recontractees. The conference was fine, if a little warm that's to the A/C set to 25c throughout the building. Some really good workshops, some not so good. Ultimately, I think it was a valuable conference on professional development.
Yeah, professional.
While I realize that not everyone agrees on what exactly professionalism is, it seems that some sort of minimum requirement is necessary. Consider that the conference was for recontractees, people who want to do another year on JET. While for some people it's just a chance to fuck around and make more money, to many of us, it also signifies a greater commitment to our own jobs, even if they are contractual in nature.
Greater commitment doesn't necessarily mean that you need wed yourselves to your job, or throw you identity our the window in favour of conformity. Nor does it necessarily imply that JET is a career, though to a small percentage people it is a sort of feeder job into the world of EFL teaching. But if you make a commitment for another year, this means that you willingly play the role again of not only a representative of your home country, but of your school/CO as well.
Cargo shorts, untucked polo shirts, khaki pants, or running shoes do not fall under the realm of professional business attire, yet I saw an abundance of this in Kobe. There are some justifications I'm sure people cooked up for their attire: this is how I dress at work, or this is what is considered professional where I come from; or I'm not Japanese, so their conventions don't apply, or I don't want to lose my sense of identity; I didn't want to pack extra shoes because their heavy, or a shirt and tie are too hot for Japan; it's the last day of the conference and I didn't want to bother getting changed again or repacking my bags...
Ultimately, I think how you present yourself is indicative of how you view your commitment to your job. If you choose to be taken seriously, you will present yourself in that manner. Putting on a tie doesn't mean you lose your personality, a fact that is made plenty evident by the quality of some of the workshops I attended. But if you choose to dress like a tourist, then I have to wonder what kind of attitude you take with you into the office. Perhaps you do go to work with shorts and a t-shirt. That's fine if you're at work--I wouldn't want to run around the room with a bunch of 8-year-olds in a suit or tie either. Perhaps you dress in hawaiian shirts in your home country, as that's acceptable business attire. That's fine if you're back home.
But the simple fact of the matter is that you are NOT at your workplace, and you are NOT in your home country. You are at a professional business conference in a country where you are expected to dress appropriately for the occasion. I guarantee that those other teachers, who you work with and wear jeans and t-shirts to work with you, would be in their suits and ties if they were at a teachers conference.
This is a rant, so of course it is based almost purely on the distaste I felt at seeing people dressed like they were out walking the dog for whatever reason, especially when so many of us were in suits enduring the warm of a crowded hotel. Its sad that there's little real consequence to this, as the disapproving Japanese group eye has little or no effect on some people. But that doesn't stop me from wishing that something could be done about it. Photos are probably out of the question, as that would seem to smack of the sort of pseudo-fascist STASI-esque surveillance. Besides, we're adults right, and should know better. But a greater MEXT (Japanese Ministry of Education), or CLAIR (Council that in is charge of the JET Programme) presense might help curb some of the more excessive dressing habits.
It's a shame, because it's probably unprofessionalism like this which is helping destroy JET. The Programme already has a reputation for good pay for little or no work, and things like this can't help it. Assuming that the various Contracting Organizations get reports on what actually went on, it's no surprise that more and more places are opting for cheaper, probably more professional, non-JET ALT options like Interac.
OK, end rant.
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