Awake at 03:00 on a school night
Stone cold sober, and unable to sleep. Something's bugging me, and annoyingly, now that i've worked out what it is, it's troubling all the more. I used to believe that you decided what the stress was, it evaporated into a stratospheric cloud eclipsed by sunshine. Ain't no sunshine today.

The wisdom of Rajani has the answer: The difficult part is knowing what you want; the easy part is getting it. Originally irked by the vague, I am now focused on the decision.

Then there are words of wisdom from Vessella: Admit to your fears; whether they be of having or not having. And here, I am bogged in world class peat....

...Because i'm sat here wondering if the Two Fears are actually entirely valid, and worthy of steering this tanker about. And then it hits me - that's a Third Fear! Bingo, i've managed to shroud the simplest of sentences in the simplest of minds with a complication so perfect it is simplicity itself.
- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, July 16, 2009 0 comments

 
Another forty eight hours
It hit me over the last weekend, that since i've come back from HK, i've managed to get sick two or three times. Which is beyond comprehension, as i've never been sick since landing in J-land, and maybe for a good couple of years before. Well, it all catches up with you one day.

The HKG kid is coming to town, last seen in fighting in TPE, for a couple of days. It'll be fast, i just gotta stay alive.

South of the Border is outstanding. The world and more - being spoiled in a deluge of everything which you knew you never deserved - in the words of Sina - Don't question it.


Reading very little - but pretending to skim through Yes Man
Listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela
Waiting for my contract to expire for a 3Gs
Cooking paella
Drinking sangria
Going to the beach
Considering Nepal for September
Watching fora.tv
- posted by Daniel @ Wednesday, July 01, 2009 0 comments

 
You know that new sound you've been looking for? Well, listen to this
All in a twelve hours:
- i talked my way out of a job
- the cinema was assumed canceled
- the day walker absconded
- LKF didnt overlap, perfectly
- the man about the dog the next day got canned



5 perfect hits - i can only hope my ears get delivered tomorrow so I can shut myself out from this Oh So Cool planet earth.


On the good side - listening to Michael Franti; finishing Choke and now onto Ugly Americans.


++++
A week later and i'm filled with options, and uncertainty of what I actually want in a job. Queue Romina - I should know what I want and stop being afraid to say it. And now I know - it's not of import.

- posted by Daniel @ Tuesday, March 03, 2009 0 comments

 
Yes We Black
Naeba: So I prop up the snowboard and bounce toward the cafeteria. There's a J-kid with a floppy hat, styled up, looks like he's propping up the door for me, He mumbles something, with heavy gums, and now I'm uncertain whether this is door courtesy or Hi-Five. Wakanai. "YES WE CAN" and he's defo going for the Hi-Five. Never leave a man hanging - I slap back - "Go Japan; Yes We Can".

Then it hit me - he thought I was Black. Killa.
- posted by Daniel @ Monday, February 23, 2009 1 comments

 
2008 Fun
Wow - so another year just slipped through the net and I've got to write a quitty ditty about Daniel and Life.

2008 kicked off with me a damn sight thinner - ready to kick it in the Tokyo Marathon. My disregard for stretching and the basic of ideas for keeping the system oiled caught up with me, and destroyed my knee and the hopes of getting a good time. Nonetheless - competing is everything, and that, I did.
Then, blast off to Hawaii, one of the coolest islands in the world.
Cycled about 150 clicks from Nikko to Tokyo.
Got a two week company holiday in Singapore.
Finally got to India
Learnt to swim
Got a meaningless title at the workplace
- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, January 01, 2009 0 comments

 
Turkeys And Obama
There is a theory that says, somewhere, amongst a throng of hot chicks, there is Always One Douche Bag. Just hanging out, and catching some of the breeze in a mindless world that no-one can explain. It doesn't make sense, and it doesn't need to - it just is. And now, finally, there is a website that pays homage to inevitability that is - "http://www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com/". Documented proof of the phenomenon we are all too eager to shy away from acknowledging. For if we did, Questions would arise. Yet, the solution to all the questions is moot when you consider the other side of the looking glass - "I wanna be one of those douchebags". Really - that's all there is to it - grab your obnoxious pill, and buckle up - this journey ends gloriously.

Amerika Roks. OK, I'm a little p1shed off about the death of Glass-Stegall - for it is better to die fighting than sip from the cup of an enemy - but that aside, three Turkey dinners resurrected and the election of a man who looks likely to get more knickers than than shoes thrown at him is good. I hope he clips Helicopter Ben.

Tomorrow is "Communications Day". Where sandals will be thrown at us, having taken all year, and we will award desperately close to Sod All. I dont know why we do it - first there was "Runner's High"; perhaps now there is "Deliver-er's High". Gawd noes. I've got to start working on a plan for next year.....


- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, December 18, 2008 0 comments

 
Fudging Lucifer's tax returns
Arrogance: The gulf between the Ordinary and the Great is truly witnessed under pressure; only the latter will excel. My new hero is Mike Lewis I'm devolving into a slob. The dodgy knee and the inability to swim has finally got to the gut. Had a great early Thanksgiving dinner in Cravings last night and actually managed to end the night early.

Looking forward to doing less this long weekend:
Watching: Deadwood
Listening to: Ozomatli
Reading: Brett Easton Ellis - Less than zero
Skimming: Hipsters Handbook
Drinking: Caol Isla
Wearing: Fourstar hoodie

The weekend just back was debauchery continuous - squeezed by miracle into liver and time. Friday started with an early finish from work, a swim, a wagyu steak that the cow herself would be proud of, followed by Texas Hold'em at Fell's killa apartment Ebisu. The Saturday was booked out for the return party of Lee & JB, a quick peek at the ballet, and a night that ended in Yoshinoya at 5am over two bowls of their largest special.

- posted by Daniel @ Sunday, October 12, 2008 0 comments

 
Humanity Killed The Cat
In the next few years, we may see some serious unemployment. That's good news for the Arts - it does appear that the strongest cause for artists to get on their bike and start producing the good stuff is economic recession. Think of all the garbage we've had to put up with recently, as the markets soared.

Took a gander around Nippori today, taking photographs. Another fine day, making me feel grateful for living in a big, old, dense city. Some awesome finds, too be uploaded. And I'm starting to understand how to use colour with the Ricoh. Now i'm dreaming of a Canonet

Good - Just watched Nordkraft.
Good - Just listened to Ozomatli
Bad - Not reading
Bad - Not sweating
- posted by Daniel @ Sunday, October 12, 2008 0 comments

 
The Irony of it



is that most of these protestors are not pro-capitalist. Which means, they do, in theory, support the notion government subsidies and handouts. It's just that not all of them understand how Hank buying covered bonds is going to keep food on the table.

As an uber capitalist pseudo hippy; despite the knowledge that my job is at risk; I'm partial to the drama. Release the hot ones and let freedom reign.
- posted by Daniel @ Tuesday, September 30, 2008 0 comments

 
power to the short men
And there we have it - bye bye Bear, Lehman, Merrill, HBOS and maybe Morgan & McQuarie. The news can be recalled anytime, but the memories of how I felt, is what I need to pen here, for Reuters and Bloomberg cannot. Even Magnum is up to date, capturing the mood

It started on Friday night, Las Chicas with JS professing to AC and I, that it was inconceivable that Merrill would go down. I bought dinner, 5 bottles of wine and 3 cigars to celebrate the end of "the good times". The pair weren't convinced I was right. A reuters article on Saturday morning, and obstinate reply on Sunday night, humble pie on Monday morning.

Monday was a public holiday in J-land and HK, yet many were called in to unwind before the inevitable failure of one Lehman. People were calling me with "Did you hear? What does this mean?" stories on Monday, but when I got to work on Tuesday, the first questions were "are we screwed?" my honesty for once not unsettling, and then the boss gave me a very specific "we need to ensure CV's arent hitting the door out of panic, this is good news, and we need a maintain a strong and positive temperament to the staff.". K. But even I couldn't do it. I believe in the concept of caveat emptor, so am happy to rip anyone off. Yet my 5 minute morning call over ran to nearly an hour, with questions, and my jibbering conflicting with the utter lack of enthusiasm in my voice. I told them I was sad to see the end of the brand. And that, I maintain, I am. Sadly though, it's more than that. Changing management structure could mean bad things for me personally, and of course, the fear is never exciting when the consequences are severe. But, as the news seeps out, it seems we might keep something. God knows. God cares. I don't. I don't. I'm now disappointed that I dont get to go to Patagonia, and plan some super-cool-big-trip across America de Sud. Booger.

I managed to getta hold of JB on the Wednesday after school, after his news was dead cert. Decent spirits he was in, despite the innumerable possible outcomes to his life before year out. Stories of people coming to work just for the free internet and chance to get tips on how to update their CVs, steal the (plastic) coffee cups, and abuse the still not disconnected telephones. The day before I had met AF in Heartland round about midnight for an hour of gossiping about the madness. Some geezer we ran into said that all of the numbers were superficial - the value of Lehman is purely in the intelligence and quality of its staff. Judging by how they are all still turning up to work, or helping each other out looking for the next role, I can't agree more. Would the same happen in another industry?

I couldn't sleep. I read the news until I dropped, woke up again and did the same. The electricity of fear, greed, ambition, sanctimony and anticipation hovering silently at six hundred and six six feet over Wall Streeet kept everyone turning papers. And then AIG, then MS, then 700 billion, and the storm appeared to ride on. The news is still everywhere (WM, Wachovia, Fortis) but the feeling is less intense after the initial blow.

A few days on and we're just riders on the storm; here's to landing sunny side up...someday.

- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, September 18, 2008 0 comments