Andthensome

Great Weekend

Took the kids up to karuizawa for the weekend sans mom. Great time. A day of golf yesterday followed by fireworks in the evening. Emilie was able to watch, but a little too scary for Ewan.

Yes, my golf score was horrible. After shooting a 47 the previous day on 9 that could have been a 45 easily, I shot a 51 and 59. The 59 was largely attributed to my stubborness to use my driver, even when it does not work for me. Must go with what does work as it is more fun. Take the three off all but the longest of holes. Keep the swing working - stay lose and natural.

Next weekend is the big golf. Don't blow it.

Thoughts for the New Year

Last year was a bitch. I can't remember being so challenged with work and home. Life was more of a burden than it should be. Of course, a lot of good stuff happened and the kids are getting older so that things have settled down quite a bit. The beginning of the year started out with me being sick 3 times or so. The summer came and with it the result of crappy markets from a year earlier had finally caught up with us all. I don't remember anything past August; really I don't. With that as a back drop, what is left to hope for this year, but good health (and continued health for the kids!) and some better market conditions. I typically make one grandiose post for the New Year, full of things I will try to do in the coming year. Why break tradition? Here are my objectives:

Work - more into the valuation process. Head down and stop doing things that don't matter.

Cigars - Inventory is about right. I need to get the right humidor.

Wine - Continue to break ground into the Rhone region.

Sailing - License and break into sailing as a normal routine.

Running - marathon in March. Explore opportunities.

Golf - more, more, more...

Peace Out.

Happy Birthday Ewan

Ready, aim....
Originally uploaded by sawako, emilie, ewan and jim

This is a picture taken at Ewan's 2nd birthday. It was a great day with 4 of his friends coming over. His best buddy Luka, also turned 2 the previous day so we did a joint party. The kids are growing up and things are good. I love this little guy so much. What a great 2 years it has been. The world is a better place with you in it. Love daddy.

Spring has sprung

P5110039
Originally uploaded by sawako, emilie, ewan and jim

Thank god that the weather has finally turned aroud. This winter was brutal. It was so cold that I think it killed out lemon tree. Well, all the other flowers seem to be doing OK as you can see from this photo taken at Ewan's birthday.

Happy Birthday Ewan

I will take the last few moments of a great day to say Happy 2nd Birthday to my son, Ewan.  Being a parent has taken me to the most satisfying moment of my life: my kids are great and I love them.  Goodnight Ewan.  Daddy loves you very much.

Where I am at

Things have gotten a little easier in my life lately, thank god.  Last quarter seemed to, quite literally, take the life out of me.  I was at the brink of fatigue and not just feeling tired.  I guess the whole mess caught up with me: work, the kids, home life - all of it.  I broke out in a horrible rash and had to go to the doctor.  The doctor told me take it easy and I did not.  Bad mistake, I got worse.  Anyway, I survived and feel better.  Balance.

Need to put things into their perspective. Work has its ups and downs, but I need to stop letting it consume me.  I may not be able to get where I thought I would, but I am not going to try at all costs.  The kids are getting better every day.  I am really starting to enjoy that.  Finally, back at golf.  Best to let that relieve stress and not cause more.　Here is what I am doing:

1. Work: focus and don't let other things get in the way.  You cannot please everyone.  You are in a job you like - make it work.

2.  Home:  don't sweat the small stuff let it go and go with te flow.  Ewan and Emilie are the best thing to happen to you.  They should give you power, not take it away.  When some one/something pisses you off, count to 10.

3. Leasure: read and play golf.  There is not anything stopping you from doing these easy things.  Focus on them to the point it makes you happy but not to the point it is destructive.

4. Finally, carry the camera around.  Take some pictures and write it down for christ's sake.

Saturday

Well, it is Saturday morning and I am sitting here with my lovely daughter watching Tonari no Totoro.  Life has settled down a lot in some respects.  I just got off quarter-end seemingly unscathed.  Team is doing well. Work can be a bitch sometime but other times it is sheer enjoyment.  And at least I have got a job.  The economy - by that I mean the Japanese economy - is taking a turn for the worst.  Nice article in last week's Economist lays out the case for why the Japanese economy may never recover: political incompetence.

My latest thing: need to get motorcylce license.

Quite cool

Hat-tip to KG for shooting me this link.  The idea of free public transportation off the back of single car travelers and trucks strikes me as a great idea.   Really one of the main functions of government has to be to affect those areas where pure market approaches break down.  Traffic congestion and polution is clearly one of them.  Well here is someone trying to do something about it:

That man is 93-year-old Ted Kheel, legendary New York labor-lawyer-turned-environmentalist. His project is a study of the feasibility of financing free mass transit in New York City through congestion pricing and other charges on driving. I directed the study (PDF), which has just been released, and I think its implications could be huge, not just for New York but for every city in the U.S. and around the world.

Status Update

Just a quick note:

• Tokyo is as cold as fuck;
• My job is making me way too busy;
• The global economy is in the shitter; and
• I am tired as hell.

Glad to get that off my chest.  All else seems to be going ok.  Jack, our cat, who ran off two weeks ago, is alive and has been spotted several times in the neighborhood: hearty dude.  Emilie got excepted to the British School.  My friend who got retrenched from MS when the subprime sell off hit sent me a letter from his "Bali Villa" - lucky fuck.  Trying to get tickets to the Red Sox v A's opening day in Tokyo - spring will come - and how long can it be till Tokyo chicks start to wear sandals again?

Off for the holidays

Well, what a year its been.  My problem is they just seem to be whizzing by faster and faster.  I seemed to make it past my fortieth birthday no worse for wear - which was about the last time I blogged.  Some good reading out there and I will try (Again!) to get on-line and get my feelings down in the new year.  I will also be looking at last years things to work on to see how I did as well as make a new list.

We are taking off for the Bay Area for a week with Mom and Becks.  I can't wait to see them see the kids.  Emilie has really turned a corner.  She speaks two languages quick fluently for a not-quite-yet-three-year-old.  When your kids start to talk it is amazing because speech really is the window of the soul.  I learned a lot about Emilie this year.  For instance, she is funny and has a good sense of humor.  As an example, she came into the house the other day and yell out for our housekeeper "MA-RI-LIN!  Samukatta."  I said, "Emilie, Marilyn doesn't speak Japanese, you need to say 'Cold'".  She then says, "Cold!  Cold - katta."  Basically she conjugated a English adjective into Japanese past tense.  As in it was cold.  But she was well aware that she was taking the piss.  She still uses it today.  Daddy, cold katta.

Ewan will be as big of a shock on Mom as last time she saw him he was a few weeks from his first birthday and not even walking.  He now runs and screams like a wild banchi.

Anyway, really looking forward to this vacation as it has been a while for everyone.  We will take some time in Nappa Valley. 

Merry Christmas.