Yeah Bitch!!! For those of you that don`t already know... excessive swearing usually denotes very good things or very bad things... I am fucking pleased to report that my excessive swearing is for a great fucking reason...

I was just received an email from Gaba, the English school I had three interviews at last week, and they have offered me the job of Marketing Manager! Eigo Sensei (English Teacher) my ass! Not that being an English teacher would not have been really cool, but now I can do something in my field, have fun, be creative, and make more money... actually, Ryo was very impressed by my starting salary (I have no scale for comparison), and I have the possibilty of bonuses monthly!! That`s right, monthly bonuses!!

Well, all this excitement on top of the usual at Starbucks... I can barely sit still!!

I guess the best thing is that I feel secure now. Of course any of you who know me, know that I have been very concerned that I would have a problem finding a job, let a lone a good job, and one that will allow me to eat.

Oh, and did I mention that this is the only call I made... I hate to sound to obnoxious, and the truth is, that it is pretty easy to get a job, there are many English teaching jobs out there, but I only made one call, had three interviews, and there it is...

Now I have said many times before that I feel as though I have been given more than anyone could ever hope for in life, and it just keeps coming... it`s like going to Vegas with your friends, your friends all lose their betting cash, but you win $6000.00. Then, as you are walking out to the car to drive back to LA, you find an extra quarter in your pocket and throw it into another slot... Jackpot! You turn to your friends with the look of "I`m sorry, but you can believe this luck", and your friends just stare back at you dumbfounded that you keep winning.

That was kind of a strange anology though, because upon closer inspection, I guess anyone reading this would be my "loser" friends, and have that jealousness about them... that was not my intention at all of course... well, except for my actual "loser friends", but you know who you are!!



Anyway, it is truly great news. I will start on Wednesday, and the biggest hurdle I have to face now is summed-up into one terrifying word... SUITS... I fucking hate wearing suits!!!! (is four exclamations enough... better throw in a few more)!!!!!!!

Then, after the suits crap there is the issues of working in a new country where you don`t speak the language nor understand the unique office politics... but that`s not as bad as SUITS!!!!!!!!!!



OK, must try to move on... there were many other things I wanted to write about in this journal! Let`s give it a shot!


Now I would like to talk about the amazing response I received from my journal entry about Homestays... it was incredible... NOT A SINGLE PERSON REPLIED... now I`m gonna chalk this one up to the fact that I probably lost a few readers when I was not writing for a while, but I sincerely hope that anyone who is reading this journal at a much later date, still contact me (unless it is much, much later and I`m dead, then don`t bother), and let me know if you would like to host someone.



OK, enough about that for now, but you can bet I`ll be back on this topic soon!



Now onto "What Jason learned in Japan Today":


1) When yo get a haircut in Japan, it takes about 45 minutes, because they give you a short massage, a shampoo, and rarely use clippers.

2) After all recreational sporting events, the players clean the field. For instance, when I was on vacation in Kyushu, and I played a basketball game with some friends, we had to sweep the entire gym when we were finished. Also, the other day I went to see Ryo play baseball in a company league... after the game, they had to comb the infield with flat rakes to make it appear new for the next game... and of course each team bows to eachother after each game... duh.

3) Beds are actually pretty inexpensive in Japan... however, the size and quality is about the same as the bed I had when I was 6.

4) Handspring and Palm have just recently begun aggresively marketing to the Japanese... no one is Japan can believe these products were invented in America.

5) If I don`t write things down, I forget them (well, actually I have known about this for a long time, but it never seems to sink in).

6) Concentrating is difficult when you first get a new job!

Perhaps I should just call it a journal!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!!!

Jason Reese, Marketing Manager, Gaba Systems, www.gaba.co.jp