Fujiko Suda / Reflection

Happiness in eating Indian food

I had vegetarian thalli at Mandala, an Indian restaurant in Jimbocho, Tokyo. It was so, very good!! Something I have been longing for for nearly a year, since I had visited Bangalore last July.

Amazing, how food can satisfy me so much. Of course, I enjoyed my husband's company during the meal, but ndian food positively makes me happy. I like both northern and southern Indian cooking. I just wish I could be having this kind of food all the time. Seriously, I need to learn how to cook Indian food.

Thoughts of India After Coming Back to Japan

Things become great when one cares.... But then what is human history but a blip in this universe? I was thinking of great in terms of human history, Alexander the Great, Buddah, Jesus Christ. Taj Mahal, Pyramid in Egypt built by humans. What are left of these great people? What will their deeds be after another billion years? What will these works of humans mean then? As India's Presiden Kalam puts it, "Earth rotates on its own axis, what happens, day and night happen. Earth rotate around the Sun, what happens, a year passes. Sun also rotates around the galaxy in 250 billion years. Our galaxy is called Milky Way and there are thousands of galaxies like ours. All planets are in harmony and move in natural way." And what does it mean, to become great?

I am reminded of my insignificance in terms of such vast space and time. But then taking courage in the fact however insignificant, we are still a part of this fantastic world, and thoughts that we have, these words we utter here in this virtual world, wish to live true through love and work, these all have meaning at least to us, and I find happiness here and now. I think it has much to do with western culture. That regardless of how insignificant a deed might seem, even if Hindu teachings lead one towards not caring about things of this world, I wish to live and care here and now, precisely because this moment is eternity.

Thoughts of India After Arriving in Bangkok

I have landed in Bangkok about three hours ago, and the contrasts between this place, Bangalore, and Tokyo are just so pronounced. (Albeit I should be comparing against Delhi and not Bangalore.) People's beliefs, attitudes are what changes the outcome of the appearance, content, outcome of cities, countries.

India is said to be 70% Hindu. And it's teachings are not to be tied to things of this world, this life, because afterall, we live on forever in different forms, whether it be ashes, molecules, energy. But with such attitude, one would not take care of here and now as much as those who would have deep attachments and care to things of this life, world.

The Hindu religeous message is not saying, don't take care of your relations and surroundings now, in this life. It teaches about reincarnation that would bring about things that was not worked out in the past. But I think to many people, this becomes an excuse of not doing one's very best, to take it easy, because hey, I will have another chance to redeem myself next time around. Perhaps this kind of attitude is making people so succeptible to bribes, to not take care of one's living environment, to now spend money on things that lasts, like good buildings, good interiors.

Thanking old and new friends in Europe

Thank you, Catherine, Annemieke, Ina, Pierre, Jacques, Matoba-san!
You all have made my trip to France and Netherland very, very special.

Yes, being a Steelcase team member makes me biased toward our company, but we really do have great workplaces and worklife in so many parts of the world! I just love our facilities in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our Arena Station, Patterson Building, Steelcase University, <a href="http://www.dgunning.org/architecture/Meyer%20May/index.html">Meyer Mayhouse</a>, and our related company, IDEO's San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. But I fell in love with our Netherland office. Why, it's a cross between IDEO San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. Marlenheim may be out of way, but I love it's quaintness. Steelcase Paris. It was very impressive, practicing what we preach, and Jean-Marc Heme's worklife showroom tour touted same story I tell in Tokyo. I was really happy to hear that Steelcase Paris will move out of La Defense area into central Paris. Makes it even better. Talk about history, I thought Arena Station with 100 year-old building was impressive, the buildings in central Paris are REALLY old! Like the one <a href="http://www.avence.com">Avence</a> is housed. I think the building is over 200 years old, isn't it?

Real people doing real work. I thought it interesting that marketing and consultants I met of Steelcase Europe team were mostly women, most of them mothers like me. I couldn't meet George due to transportation problem in Paris due to general strike, so I missed meeting one man who consults.

Matoba-san and I met from sitting next to each other along with a lady from Romania, and had interesting talks during our long (loong) flight from Tokyo to Amsterdam. He's doing some great work in IT consulting, and when I asked him if he would give a little talk to my young group (yes, wyuki-san, Sakakida-san, Kubota-san, Sasaki-san!), he has kindly agreed. He's more genki than me!

Okay, if anybody wants to see my summaries of creating knowledge based workplace based on Europe examples, especially on using arts to create ba for interaction, and to maximize the use of colors and visuals, call me! E-mail me! We'll get together.

Thanking New And Old Friends

Thank you, Catherine, Annemieke, Ina, Pierre, Jacques, Matoba-san!
You all have made my trip to France and Netherland very, very special.

Yes, being a Steelcase team member makes me biased toward our company, but we really do have great workplaces and worklife in so many parts of the world! I just love our facilities in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our Arena Station, Patterson Building, Steelcase University, Meyer Mayhouse, and our related company, IDEO's San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. But I fell in love with our Netherland office. Why, it's a cross between IDEO San Francisco and Palo Alto offices. Marlenheim may be out of way, but I love it's quaintness. Steelcase Paris. It was very impressive, practicing what we preach, and Jean-Marc Heme's worklife showroom tour touted same story I tell in Tokyo. I was really happy to hear that Steelcase Paris will move out of La Defense area into central Paris. Makes it even better. Talk about history, I thought Arena Station with 100 year-old building was impressive, the buildings in central Paris are REALLY old! Like the one Avence is housed. I think the building is over 200 years old, isn't it?

Real people doing real work. I thought it interesting that marketing and consultants I met of Steelcase Europe team were mostly women, most of them mothers like me. I couldn't meet George due to transportation problem in Paris due to general strike, so I missed meeting one man who consults.

Matoba-san and I met from sitting next to each other along with a lady from Romania, and had interesting talks during our long (loong) flight from Tokyo to Amsterdam. He's doing some great work in IT consulting, and when I asked him if he would give a little talk to my young group (yes, wyuki-san, Sakakida-san, Kubota-san, Sasaki-san!), he has kindly agreed. He's more genki than me!

Okay, if anybody wants to see my summaries of creating knowledge based workplace based on Europe examples, especially on using arts to create ba for interaction, and to maximize the use of colors and visuals, call me! E-mail me! We'll get together.

Days in Europe 2

How about it? Two entries in one day! Arrived Paris a few hours ago, and making this entry at an internet cafe behind the hotel I am staying for the night: Cluny Square Hotel. But gotta go look for another hotel, since the place is so noisy from the street traffic. The noise shocked me when I entered the room, especially after beautifully serene days at Poitier, Strasbourg and Amsterdam.

I'm typing this at snail's pace, because the key board is French, and A, Q, M, W, numbers and commas and such are all in different places from US or Japan.

The very first impression of Paris: How very elegant! So artistically built! The buildings, public arts, colors of gold and red so impressive. The air feels so different compared to anywhere else I have ever visited. No wonder artsy people just fall head over heels over this place.

Meeting with George Roux of Steelcase Paris tomorrow. Can't wait!

It is so true: failure is beginning of success. Success beginning of failure. I received the highest score for the performance rated by peers at Steelcase Japan. Responsible, hard working... And I am destroying that by this visit to Europe. Didn't notify everybody at the office, with messed up laptop, can't respond to all inquiries coming in, not keeping promises of some deadlines... Just messing them all up.

Was it worth it, mess up my good reputation to come here? Absolutely! Feel so alive!

Van Gogh tore his ear off during his bout with epilepsy. Not from moment of conscious passion. He commited suicide because he felt his life was a failure, becoming an artist after failing as a clergyman. But he was so engrossed with his work earlier. Gave me a lot to think about...

Days in Europe

Amsterdam is sunny and beautiful today! It was really hot when I arrived last Friday, but today, it is much cooler. Probably yesterday's rain helped.

I am on a learning trip for Steelcase Workplace Consulting method and process to incorporate them into my consulting work in Japan. Also, to develop a community of practice among workplace consultants and those of us who share similar goals and objectives in work, life.

It has been great!

I am about to hop onto the airport shuttle from Hotel Okura. My next destination: Paris.

Terrible time with connecting to internet with my laptop. But hopefully, I will have chance to write some more during this trip.

Mastery

My very first trip to Sidney. I will be here for the
next few days for the workplace consulting training.

At the <a href="http://www.mca.com.au/">Museum of Contemporary Art</a>, I enjoyed the
exhibition called 'Liquid Sea'. These artists
pursueing their fascination with science and art
combined. On their way to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452267560/qid=1049623688/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/102-3797120-8454540">mastery</a>.
Then I realized my fascination with people. Lately
I noticed I much prefer to have people in my digital
camera images. When I was growing up, I only drew
and painted people. Why such intense interest,
pursuit? Probably because I just did not get enough
human interaction with the way I happened to grow up.
Spending 70% of my time alone between the age of 2
and 27. A high need child, probably.

As George Leonard says in <u>Mastery</u>, those who
become masters are not those who are gifted, or who
show talent in particular subject in the beginning.
They are those who are determined, who are persistant.

Drawing, painting, interpreting. They came so easy.
Understanding people, being helpful, acting with care.
These come so hard, because everything had to be
learned consciously. Maybe I could master being a
mother. Master to become a consultant that really
changes things for the better.

Great thought to have before the training begins!