The Human Clock™ - A Clock Photo for Every Minute of the Day

The Human Clock™ - A Clock Photo for Every Minute of the Day
There are thousands of clocks on the web, and this is one of the best, I believe.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

I finished reading A Child Called "It" and following 2 books by Dave Pelzer. I don't have to explain this series, because they are already best sellers some time ago. I have a lot of respect for the author on his way of thinking and lifestyle. I'm interested in these stories due to the location of the stories. It is Northern California where I have lived from 1999 to 2002. I don't think I abused my children　by physical force, but I asked myself again and again whether I did it verbally or not.

Google Sightseeing

Google Sightseeing

I didn't know this very interesting site. This is real cool.

Tokyu Seven Hundred Club

I don't keep my score in these days. The reason why I don't keep my score is not to care about scores and to concentrate each shot. But I can remember my score or my friend keeps my score. Today's score at Tokyu Seven Hundred Club West Course was 45-42. 80s is the first time in these 5 months. The course is very good for average golfers, flat on both fairways and greens. My putting today was only 29. I didn't make 3 putts.

They say this course is for business entertainment. We can see a lot of famous VIPs on the member board. They also say members are only from corporations. The course has 36 holes but our caddie said only 50 parties were on the course today. In most of golf courses in Japan, 1st party starts at 7:30 am in the morning but this course, 8:30 am even in this mid summer. In my experience in the U.S.A., even in private courses or resort courses like Pebble Beach Golf Links, 1st party starts at the dawn or even just before the dawn. I think golf courses in Japan are only for the golf courses themselves, not for the golfers.

Above pic is 13th hole, 144 yards, West Course

Visa to the U.S.

My next assignment will be for sales subsidiary of our company in Atlanta in the U.S., as I told you before. In the U.S., a lawyer prepared and submitted the application to get approval of my L1 visa to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Today I was informed by the lawyer that he got approval and would send original I-797 to me by airmail. Then I will prepare application, make an appointment and go to the Embassy of the United States in Japan for interview. I may get visa in the middle or the end of September.

Since I came back to Japan from the U.S. in 2002, I haven't had any idea to go back to the U.S. because I couldn't expect any position overseas at my age in that company. However my dream to go back to the U.S. became very real when I decided to change my job. The biggest reason why I changed my job was actually high possibility to go to the U.S. My life and experience in Silicon Valley from 1999 to 2002 and people I met had great impact to my way of thinking. I will soon go back to the U.S. again, and meet a lot of people all over the U.S. and play golf everywhere from east coast to west coast. I really appreciate that the company gives me this fantastic opportunity.

My daughter left for Campaspe, Austaralia

Today is the last day of my summer holiday from August 11. On August 11 and 12, I went to Yoro Valley Hot Springs Resort. On August 14, I went to play golf at Funabashi Country Club. I really enjoyed my holiday, reading books, listening to music, playing golf and drinking beer, which are most favorite interests in my life.

Today on August 16, I went to the City Hall to see my daughter off. This evening She is leaving Tokyo International Airport for Shire of Campaspe, Australia as a member of exchange students. Our Shiroi City, Chiba has official International Friendship Agreement from February 13, 1998.

According to Campaspe's website, the agreement is on the basis of :-
* mutual exchange programs in education, economic development, tourism, culture and other activities of mutual benefit to further enhance the scope and depth of the existing relationship.
* these programs shall endeavour to contribute to the friendship between Japan and Australia and to world peace resulting in prosperity and long lasting friendship for all.
The friendship agreement is the culmination of a growing bond that has been formed between the two municipalities over many years, fostered through the highly successful Kyabram Secondary College student / teacher program established in 1991. The program has been an outstanding success, and is an excellent way of strengthening cultural ties with Japan.

My daughter, 14 years old, has been studying English for almost 10 years since she came back to Japan from Hong Kong in 1996. After all she got a chance to go abroad to try her English skill. This is a 11 days trip to Campaspe and Kyabram Secondary College, staying with host family. Campaspe is in Victoria State, 204 km north west of Melbourne. I hope she can get a new idea of the world and broaden her knowledge.

"Foundation and Earth" by Isaac Isimov

I finished reading Isaac Isimov's "Foundation and Earth"(1986) in Japanese. The fifth novel in Asimov's Foundation series. Councilman Golan Trevize goes in search of legendary Earth, all references to which have been erased from galactic libraries. Finally he found the Mother Earth and met 20,000 years old robot, Daneel Olivaw! Foundation series is a long story. Asimov wrote "The Caves of Steel"(1954) and Robot Daneel Olivaw appeared first time. Yes, Daneel was the real key person (robot) in Asimov's long novel of vast univers.

Funabashi Country Club

Funabashi Country Club was established 44 years ago, designed by Mr. Tomizawa Seizo. Long, flat, separated by tall trees, beautiful course in Shiroi City, Chiba, my home town, 10 minutes walk. But I'm not a member because membership is too expensive. In Japan there are so many private courses (membership courses), but visitors can play if tee time is available. Many courses accepts that. So I can play this old private course with my friends, non-members. Today we played twilight front 9 holes. Play fee was JPY6,000(about US$50! Wow! In United States I can play 36 holes if it is a municipal course!). My score? I don't keep my score recently if it is a private round. But I can remember, 3 double bogeys , 6 bogeys, 1 Par, so 47 on 9 holes. Above pic is No.1, 388 yards, Par 4, from the teeing ground.

Manai Hot Springs Resort

This evening, I went to hot springs again together with my wife to Manai Hot Springs Resort in Inzai City, which we have next to my home town and only 3 minutes by car. There was a revision of the hot springs law in Japan and thousands of hot springs started several years ago. This hot spring bathes are much larger than those in Yoro Vally. My wife drove the car, so I had a beer after out door hot spring bath. I could soaked away my stress in hot tubs for these 3 days.

Firefox

I changed my default browser again. I used to use Internet Explorer and Opera, but recently I downloaded Firefox 1.5.0.6 Japanese version and started to use it. It is better for me than Opera because Opera doen't support some functions of Google's Blogers or Gmail. Tab function or others are almost same as Opera, I suppose. It will be a matter of preference to use Opera or Firefox. IE is out of the question.