Journal Entry 1 by SKingList on Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Bought this a few weeks ago and apparently forgot to register it. Very good read - another different look at life in Japan, almost the male version of The Accidental Office Lady.

A frog in a well knows not the ocean indeed, really made me think of Japan in general.

"Foreign students are visitors. Visitors should not stay too long in faraway places or they will forget to go back." Really sums up the ex-pat life well and makes me wonder about the future of some Nova fossils.

"Your hobby is something outside of work that you do at least once a year. If you do nothing but watch TV and sleep, your hobby is what you did, at least once, when you were a student." Then why on earth is sleeping a favorite hobby? If I had one yen for every time I heard that I'd be independently wealthy.

This was a very interesting read, I can't imagine life as a salaryman to begin with -- although he made the point that 'real' salarymen don't have blue eyes - and certainly can't imagine working for a Japanese company for fourteen years.

Timely read with the demise of Nova.

Possible ring. 

Journal Entry 2 by SKingList on Thursday, October 25, 2007

Int'l Ring, please comment to the forum post to join:

SKingList - USA
NMReader - US, US only
Azuki - US (US/CA)
Goddess-Of-Fire - US prefers US, can do Int'l

Icila - France, Int'l OK
thursoexile - UK
Midlifecrisis - UK
LeishaCamden - Norway (int'l OK)
hippolein - Finland (int'l OK)
daisyflower123 - Germany
totoroandmei - Japan (int'l - surface)

meexia - Singapore

awaywithfairies - Australia (prefers Aus only, can do int'l if necessary)
tqd - Australia (int'l OK if needed)
amberc - NT, Australia (prefers Aus only)
whitequeen - QLD (Int'l OK) 

Journal Entry 3 by SKingList at bookring in bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (11/8/2007 UTC) at bookring in bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Label printed and done, will be dropped in the mail en route to the 8:11 bus. Enjoy and happy travels. 

Journal Entry 4 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Arrived today and added to mount TBR. Looking forward to reading 

Journal Entry 5 by NMReader from Herndon, Virginia USA on Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Sorry this took so long - I am finally getting caught up on all the rings and rays.

I finished this book this morning. I enjoyed reading the book but felt like the ending was a little abrupt.

It was an interesting look into working for a large Japanese company. I realized that I would never fit in as a salaryman (partly because I am female). I liked some of how they ran their company and was horrified by other parts.

Overall a good read but the abrupt ending diminished my enjoyment.

Thanks for letting me participate in the ring. I will mail over my lunch later this week. 

Journal Entry 6 by NMReader at Post Office in by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Released 4 yrs ago (12/5/2007 UTC) at Post Office in by mail, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed via first class mail to Azuki. Enjoy. 

Journal Entry 7 by azuki from Miami, Florida USA on Friday, January 04, 2008

Sorry it has taken a while for me to journal this book's arrival. I was away on vacation till the end of the year, and when we returned, my husband made me finish unpacking before I can tear open the stack of media mail packages that arrived while we were gone...
Anyway, I am reading another ring book now and this will be next. I will read it asap to keep this going soon again. 

Journal Entry 8 by azuki from Miami, Florida USA on Monday, February 04, 2008

I enjoyed the book very much. Very often in Japanese media, the salaryman is portrayed as a very boring species who labors all day, gets drunk at bar, barely seen at home (and hardly welcome when he is) and who hands over his salary to his wife. As not many foreigners make it to be a salaryman, Murtagh's account as a part outsider, part insider is really rare and fascinating. Some of the events, such as the one about Murtagh's attempt to cycle to work, are really eye openers into a culture so different from ours.

I will be mailing this out within the week to the next reader.

 

Journal Entry 9 by Goddess-Of-Fire from Springfield, Missouri USA on Saturday, February 23, 2008

Wow, I'm sorry that it took me so long to journal this book. It came in the mail last week, but I left it at home and didn't get a chance to journal it till now.

I enjoyed the book very much. Though some things about living and working in Japan seem like fun and seem like they make a lot of sense, other parts seem way over the top. (I found the "safety" meeting especially amusing.)
Thank you very much for sharing!

PMing Icila for address. 

Journal Entry 10 by Goddess-Of-Fire from Springfield, Missouri USA on Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Put in the mail yesterday, thanks for sharing!
 

Journal Entry 11 by Icila from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Received safe yesterday with a real stamp ! Mail from Missouri let me dream. Thanks. 

Journal Entry 12 by Icila from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Saturday, March 15, 2008

I enjoyed the description of the life in Mitsubishi. It was easier to Niall Murthag than to Amelie Nothomb (Fear And Trembling) who is a woman.

I'm worrying about all the mistakes I certainly made when visiting Japan many years ago.

08/03/26. On its way to U.K.