Em's Dailies..

Snow. Snow. Snow. 0 degree today in Gala Yuzawa, weather forecast is snow.

This ski resort is perhaps one of the most convenient and accessible in Japan. To get there, take Joetsu Shinkansen, from Tokyo station, travel time is around 80 minutes. If you just wanna try the sport, there are rentals from wear to gear. Routes are classified into beginner, intemediate, advance and expert.



"The Gondola". For someone who has acrophobia, it's quite a scary ride. And a real challenge to get off! When you get off you skate away so you don't get in the way of the next gondola passengers.

I got my first snowboarding-related accident today 2005.02.11. I got a sore left knee. Johnny jumped off the Gondola (we were riding together) and I was trying to hold him (it's his first time to ski) and my left knee hit his ski. Ouch!!!



Me, Agdie and Johnny taken before I gave them 'briefing' on snowboarding basics, feeling professional, ano? :)

For starters here are few things that one needs to learn. First you kneel and then tie your leash in your leg. A leash is simply a cord used as safety precaution to make sure your board doesn't fall off your feet, especially during Gondola rides. Which leg? Depends on your stance, if you're 'Regular', it means your front leg is your left. It's the right leg if you're 'Goofy'. How do you figure out if you're regular or goofy???? Hmm..tough question. I also don't know! hahaha. They say that if you're right handed, you most probably are a Regular, and goofy for left-handed. But you'll never really know until you try. My first snowboard I tried Regular, but today I tried Goofy. Goofy seems to work better for me. After this, fix your tied leg in the board and practice skating.

There are still many pointers to tell, but it's just going to complicate things, so I suggest you get that butt going and go! Try it, snowboarding is guaranteed fun! I can't wait :)


Marvin on the left, I'm in the middle ('Peace') and Agdie projecting! We tried the longest trail for beginners. We found out though that the trail is not for beginners. It was so steep and narrow and so many sharp turns. It's such a great dare! Today I learned how to control, how to break, how to get around so many people, where to place my weight and I learned a new trick?! I also practised to stand! (It's so difficult?!)

I got to 7 rounds of snowboarding today and I still can't get enough. As the ski closes, Agdie and I said, let's do it again!~ When we retire from IT, let's just snowboard everyday. Hahahaha...I said "Of course?! I'm already imagining myself in the next snowboarding tour!"

My pocket hurts?! Hahahha

We can endure life’s wrongs because we know that God will make all things right.... Unlike David, we often want to silence our critics, insist on fairness, and defend ourselves. But as we grow in our awareness of God’s protective love, we become less concerned with what others say about us and more willing to entrust ourselves to our Father. Like David, we can say of each critic, "Let him alone, and let him curse" (2 Samuel 16:11). This is humble submission to God’s will.




Have you ever felt so hopeless, your load is just too heavy and there is nobody to share it with. And no matter how much you try to be objective, no matter how much to tell yourself 'happiness is something you decide ahead of time', there are these people that are just so damn good at making you feel helpless.

I thought I was a good Project Manager. I've always delivered. I've always managed the project, the people and the circumstances very well.

Truth ~ this is an exhausting job, physically and emotionally. One has to be strong enough to make tough decisions, daring enough to take risks and to be realistic enough to know the boundaries and constraints that could be compromised to achieve the ultimate goal.

It's a tough job, but I love being Project Manager, because it gives me opportunity to reach out to people, to view things from a different perspective. Sure, I have to take responsibility for all actions done by my team, whether good or bad. I have to be the strongest person. I need to stir the wheel when storm attacks. I have to provide direction. I am not just a leader, but an Ate and a Mommy as well.

But what I love most is the satisfaction I get from working with my team. Seeing them grow day by day, and the challenge of helping them discover their paths, and build them up to their career goals. I've been so successful in this aspect. I've zoomed past a lot of people in different organizations that's why I am what I am now. And when I manage these people, I look at them and try to share the same dream.

But I'm human as well. Sometimes I lack patience, sometimes I get angry, I nag, I also have my moods. Those are my shortcomings.

But to be accused of destroying and putting down my team's morale is too much for me. It's breaking my heart. I cannot accept it. Call me bitch if you want to I don't care. But never accuse me of passing the blame on my team. I've worked so hard to put this team together, I've worked so hard to make this project work. I've sacrificed my personal life because I dedicate myself to this project and the people who work for this.

Why? Because we dreamed together that we will release this project. Because we had laughs together. Because we went through a hell lot of heartaches together. Eveything in this project is personal to me my heart is breaking...because of politics.

As I write my heartaches, Eleanor Roosevelt seems to whisper to me 'A person can hurt you as much as you allow to.'

That's right?! What do they know about me? What do they know about my team? What do they know about the project? Exactly ~ NOTHING.

I shouldn't give up now more than ever. Only a few more strides and we're there. I shouldn't let go of the wheel. 'Coz these times are what defines a true Project Manager'.

I had a good chat with my friend Oggie. He said he's been following my Heart Talk series. I gushed. We talked about how surprisingly formidable blogs could be coz thru it, we reach out to other people.

Then I also had a chat with my Ate Akiko, she said she visited my blog and read my snowboarding experience.

And then it dawned to me the same way Archimedes said 'Eureka'! I have this power to reach out via this blog.

And if I can inspire even just one soul and make that soul smile, then I should have fulfilled my purpose.

Tokyo life..Tokyo hopes. Tokyo dreams. Tokyo air. Everything Tokyo. I shall see the world with different eyes from now on. With more passion and zest and hope ~ as I chronicle my dailies and share them with you ;)

Inspire me, trigger me, write me! Remind me never to take things around me for granted. Remind me to love my life, for it is the only way to live!

Totally inspired by Seint, I dared..I tried...and I conquered!

Well, not really but I went home unscratched, rode the gondola several times without freaking out (is this bye-bye from my fear of height???)

And I snowboarded!