Idea Train! Whooo Whoo~

So, I have an idea!

Actually, it's a combination of three thought bunnies, as Sally might say.

1. My mom likes to read the articles I write/translate (Hi, Mom!), but they're hard to find on the hokubei.com web site, so I've been emailing her the links. I've only been there three weeks, so that really isn't very hard or very much to send... but wouldn't it be nice if Mom could just see my work all compiled for her whenever she has time to look?

2. This thought involves my mom, too (Hi again!). Mom Post has been telling me I should keep a portfolio of my work and the feedback I get (see the entries below) to have on hand for future jobs or promotions. I definitely agree, but my original thought of clippings and file folders seemed so... tedious. The procrastinator/lazy traits of my personality came out and so while I was saying, "Definitely, Mom. I'll get started on that," the reality is I was going, "Yeah, right." Then I thought, isn't there an easier way to do this?

3. The third inspiration comes from my good friend Raiman, stylist extraordinaire, whom I mentioned a few posts ago. He's working toward his dream of being a stylist in Japan, and blogging along the way. In addition to writing about his own adventures and journey, Raiman often shares tips, quotes, ideas, links, advice, etc on creating successful relationships and businesses, getting organized, and other helpful topics. Now, I'm not starting a business or anything like that, these posts are interesting and informative, and without realizing it, I've learned a thing or two from them (more on that another day). Anyway, to get to the point, one of the things he has been exploring recently is creating an online portfolio as a way to show potential clients the looks and styles he's created. Brilliant. So, why don't I do that?

And so, if you haven't guessed where I'm going by now, I plan to create a new blog/online portfolio for my writing and translations. I'll be doing it on a different site because I want to keep that as something professional, and that way I can keep it separate from the fun, personal posts on this site.

I'm really excited about this project, so hopefully I'll get it up and running as soon as possible.

Of course, I'll post here and let you know the address when I get it set up!

Reader Response - UPDATE!

I just got another reply from the person!

Thanks for the quick response with the link.

I put in the exhibit's name in the "Search" box, but it didn't come up. Thanks for the link!

Happy subscribers!
-The ***** Family

P.S. Are you new to the staff? Or did I just miss your past bylines?

I made subscribers happy! That's good! We need happy subscribers! (We actually need any subscribers we can get, but happy ones are great because maybe they'll tell their friends how happy they are and it'll spread...)

----UPDATE 2----

I replied again telling them, yes, I'm new, and got this back.

Welcome!
GREAT start! (What a way to start! A very interesting story that you got to have an inside look! Looking forward to more of your stories!
Take care.
Nagafuji
P.S. Tell your boss we're glad you're on the staff and that we're looking forward to more of your articles since this one was so well-covered.

I forwarded it to the main editor. :D

First Letter from a Reader!!

(Background: In case you haven't heard, at the beginning of June, I began working as an editor/translator/reporter/photographer/designer at a tiny bilingual English/Japanese newspaper in Japantown called the Hokubei Mainichi News.)

I got my first reader response today for the article I wrote about the opening of a samurai exhibit at the Asian Art Museum. (You can read the article here)

I was forwarded an email by the main English editor this morning (the two of us do the two-page English section everyday) from a reader who wanted to know if the Nine-Planet Crest, the family crest of the Hosokawa (samurai lord) family, is based on a Hindu symbol called navagraha.

After I a little googling, I replied:

My information on the Hosokawa family crest came from Mr. Morihiro Hosokawa, the current head of the family. He told me the crest was bestowed upon his ancestors by Oda Nobunaga and that he believed the "Nine Planet Crest" came from India, so it does seem to correspond with the Navagraha you mentioned.

Assistant Curator of Japanese Art Melissa Rinne, of the Asian Art Museum agrees with this assumption. She said on the Asian Art Museum Blog, the crest "design actually derives from a concept in Indian cosmology known as the nine grahas." You can read the rest of the blog here

I hope this information helps.

Then, this afternoon I receive the person's response:

Thanks for your quick response and the great article on "Lord of the Samurais."
Since our grandparents came from Kyushu, we're especially interested in the exhibition.

Could you, please, put the article on the online edition of the Hokubei? It wasn't on there this morning. We'd like to share your article with others.

Thanks again for the wonderful coverage of the new Asian Art exhibition.

(and I sent them the link.)

Isn't that cool?? I'm so excited!!


P.S. I'm going to try and start blogging again. My friend Raiman inspired me with his great blog, raamenchan.com