I made the crossover last April this year.
I’ve grown up and started painting my nails. Not by myself, unfortunately. It’s that “little” gift I gift myself with every month for working like a horse. 😅
Today, to usher in the new year, I requested for a happy colour. 🥰
My gel nail artist created a colour combination just for me.
Blessed with such a beautiful first sunrise in this year. Goosebumps seeing Lady Sun rising. Such an amazing scene.
The sunrise came in late actually. It was forecasted 6:50. But 6:53 came and we just have an increasingly lighter sky by the second. When she did came out at 6:57, it was breathtaking.
Thankful to have witnessed this grandeur, especially when it was super cloudy before and after 1st. 🥰
I asked Yui how her day was and with whom did she play with.
She answered “with Satsuki”. I was just trying to guess who the girl is from the daily photos, and then she described.
“The one who looks so snobbish and who would bully anyone. “いじわれるなかおお”. But actually surprisingly kind. On the other hand, Emma looks like she won’t hurt a fly. But actually she gets angry so easily.
判断するな! Don’t judge!
My dear baby, I’m loving the wisdom. Keep it up. .
I was happily ruminating on my way home. Reflecting how the day started with two big problems at work; where one could possibly cost us hundreds of thousands, if not a million, dollars, and the other a safety issue. How one ended with me finding a possible cost down effort that will have a bigger impact instead of the initial (deemed) cost increase (much smaller). And how the other one ended with different disciplines agreeing (with much satisfaction) to my proposed solution.
It was a day to be thankful for.
Then, just as I was approaching the back entrance of our condo, I saw in the dark the cutest fur animal I’ve ever seen in my entire life. It stood there frozen, looking at me quizzically, yet somehow also looking at me as if encouraging me to move forward. Its big black round eyes was looking at me curiously. Big round belly. Huge furry tale. Looking at me deeply, so much so that I still feel its stare up to now.
Then it dawned on me that I was seeing in flesh the famed lucky tanuki (raccoon dog) The type so cute the photos I’ve seen doesn’t do it justice. I’m seeing a lucky charm tanuki!
When I realised my good fortune, I flicked open the flap of my phone. Dang. It darted away so fast, faster than I could say “wait”.
The encounter was so overwhelming I’m claiming the good fortune it is famed to bring! 😂🤣😅
Work has been overwhelming lately. There’s just too many things to do, with so little time, and not enough people to do the work. And that’s even already considering I have hyper efficient teams. Last Friday, I had to leave early at 7:30pm (yes, that’s early) because I was already dizzy and my head hurts.
Then today, I was on a call with one of our work partners a country away, to discuss one of the issues we were facing. I was just merely trying to share with him what my team was doing and planning to do, and he gave me a compliment that magically lifted my brain fog owing to stress/overwork/tiredness:
Whenever I get to have a call with you, I always end up relieved from our stress. You always bring us good news that makes us worry less.
He was just being honest in telling me how I am helping them. But in truth, I am the one who was thankful today, after that call. The stress/exhaustion that was lifted off me just by being on the receiving of that compliment must have been twice or more compared to the stress he said I helped reallocate.
Thank you, colleague, comrade. Let’s continue supporting each other!
It’s been two full weeks since I’ve joined my new project. A project I least expected to be part of. And apparently, a lot of people in the team was surprised too. Surprised because there was already someone who should be handling what I’m handling now. But then some higher up insisted I should have the post instead. Even more surprising was the one who made the strong recommendation was well known to be very strict and of high standards.
And so he had his way. And I’m now in a team where 90% of the people are people with whom I haven’t worked with. And they’re all men. If you are working in a Japanese corporate company, and you’re a woman, you probably know well the battles I have to go through.
I’ve been mansplained since Day 1. I can’t even finish my justifications/technical explanations without getting interrupted. And the way they explained is just so condescending, as if you have no idea of the topic.
And so since Day 1, I’ve been fighting. And asserting my right. Making a stand. There was a time I had to interrupt my “adviser”, and in a chilling voice told him “it’s not my first time, no need to tell me that”. And the other day, when one Lead ignored my email and I followed up, he started explaining as if I was a college student (he’s younger than me). I’m sure I had fire on my eyes when I strongly said while hitting the floor with the point of my umbrella, “do not underestimate! Never underestimate!” He became friendly to me the day after.
Yesterday (Friday) was sort of a winning moment for me. For a week I’ve been trying to tell several people/Leads about a technical issue that will have huge impact. But nobody seemed to understand and everyone seemed to dismiss my opinion. Thankfully finally the second to top guy in the team finally gave me the go signal to ask another department. That other department came back and affirmed the huge cost impact of the issue I raised.
I was vindicated. But I thought of how much I had to fight. I was starting to think that perhaps, it’s ok not to fight too much. It’s ok to just let them be. I know my worth. I don’t have to shout it out. I don’t need to speak up as I’m already getting tired. I am tired. And it’s just been two weeks.
But then today, unexpectedly, a friend who just resigned, emailed me to say goodbye. And to tell me how she looks up to me. How I inspire her to speak up. How when faced with a challenging task, she’d think of me and think what would I probably say or do if given the same task.
I cried. She was thanking me. But in fact, I should be the one thanking her. Because by telling me all those beautiful words, she reminded me to not give up the fight, when there is something to fight for. That just by trying, I can inspire others to try too. That all my efforts so far has not gone to waste, because somehow, I helped others to strive to be better.
Thank you Ish. You’re the third dear one who told me these sweet words; and I hold all of you dear to me. I am thankful I made a mark in your lives, but more importantly, I am grateful that you told me. It polished my sword, as I keep up the fight and move onwards and up.