What to do

2001-02-28

I really want to start a weblog but I'm not sure the best way to do it. Should I use we::blog or should I continue to use my own system. How should I display it? Should each entry just be a headline like this one or should they be on a separate page? If I put them on a separate page should I make a new front page with a link to the headlines page and a link to the weblog page? Should I squeeze the weblog stuff into another column on my headlines page? Should I have the weblog stuff get truncated like this one is with a read the rest... link or should I just allow the entire entry to appear (less work to read 'em)

Another issue is how best to contribute. I actually feel like writing several times a day but of course when I feel like writing I'm not near a computer. I did pick up an e-mail keyboard. Some little gadget with a small calculator like keyboard that lets me type e−mail. I could use that to put entries in but even that turns out to be not convenient because one really needs to sit down to use it and that's not always easy, especially in Japan. I suppose in the U.S. I could pull over in my car or grab a seat in a bookstore or shopping center but those options really don't exist here.

Another issue is I like to worry, whine and complain sometimes and I wonder if writing that kind of stuff in my weblog will be helpful or the opposite.

I've been listening to Personal Power 2 lately, the Anthony Robbins tapes. They seem really cool so far. I'm up to like the 8th or 9th tape. Of course the embarrassing thing is I brought them 3 times. Once I bought the first set about 8 years ago. I listened to about the first 7 tapes. Then about 4 years ago I brought version 2 and never listened to it once. I gave that away before I went to Japan the first time 2 1/2 years ago. Then I bought it again last year, this time the CDs and now I'm listening to it on MDLP. Since I'm in Japan and it's a 30 to 40 minute commute to school each day I have plenty of time to listen to them.

So far they are very interesting. Nearly all of it is easy to accept and believe. Things like all your behavior is generally directed by your desire to gain pleasure or avoid pain and that most people will do more to avoid pain than gain pleasure. Probably the biggest *pain* being the pain of exhurting yourself (working out, starting a company, doing that home project etc...) The basic idea could be summerized as learning how to program yourself to be more aware of the pain of not doing something (you'll stay fat, you won't be successful, you'll be upset at yourself for having wasted 5, 10, 15 years procrastinating etc..) The details are how to identify your beliefs and how to work on changing them so you'll take the actions you want to take.

That brings up some big questions for me though like what actions do I want to take? Do I want to get fluent in Japanese? Somedays, in fact most days it feels like it's many many years away. My teachers say that it's normal at my level to not notice any improvement. That when your just beginning it seems like every day you get better in leaps and bounds but that in the middle level it's much tougher to notice your progress. I hope they are right.

The biggest question of course it what to do next? The 3 most obvious ideas for me since they follow the direction of my life so far are (1) work at a game company again on a team (2) work at a game company in management (3) start my own company again.

I really think I'd like to do #3 but so far I've made no progress in realizing that dream. That's one of the reasons I'm listening to the tapes and also one of the reasons I'm questioning why I'm in Japan.

Some other much less serious ideas. (1) Start a California Roll Restaurant in Japan. Basically you can not find California style sushi in Japan. California Rolls, Crab Rolls, Catapillar Rolls, Rainbow Rolls, Crunchy Rolls, Philidelphia Rolls etc. Most of my Japanese friends that have lived in California really enjoy them all. Not more or less than tranditional Japanese sushi but as something else. So, it seems like, given a good location and some descent P.R. you could make a VERY popular restaurant in Japan serving the various kinds of California Rolls. Just FYI: The California Roll Factory, a restaurant in Santa Monica has something like 140 kinds of California rolls. So, that's one idea. The biggest problems being that I haven't a clue how to start AND I'd need a Japanese partner as I'm not a citizen of Japan

The other not so serious idea is to do the opposite. Open a Japanese restaurant in L.A. Of course there are lots of Japanese restaurants in L.A. but there is also alot missing. To go down the list. In L.A. there is no good Tonkatsu (deep fried breaded pork), no good Tonkotsu Ramen (pork soup based ramen −− the best kind), no good Okonomiyaki, No Izakayas. The point again is given a good location and P.R. it should be a sell out. People in L.A. like to believe they are eating "authentic" food so that could be one angle. They also like to try new things and all of that is generally not available so that's another angle.

Well, I've rambled on enough for now...

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