Ogakijin Blog

Because my Mother and Aunt stayed in Shinagawa Prince Hotel, I rushed to that place in the morning.
Purpose? I made lunch appointment with them.

I picked them up in the lobby. Well, it was difficult for them to get a ride with train up to Tokyo Station. Thus, I selected a taxi for a ride instead. I think it was definitely right choice made.

Mom and aunt cannot walk fast enough like everyone else in town does. They are definitely out-of-towners. Hehehe.
In Daimaru department store, they bought some gifts before going home. Then, went to lunch.

Japanese dish. $25 ea. It was good. I really liked the dish.
Then, I sent them to the Shinkansen (bullet train) platform to catch train bound for Ogaki.

I showed up in Ginza area for window shopping. STRICTLY, window shopping.
-St. Dupont
-Hermes
-Barney's New York
-Evance (Rolex, Panerai, etc.)
-Dolce & Gabbana
-Montblanc

I still miss some shops to list here... Well, I spent quite time for the window shopping.
Then, went to Matsuya Ginza for pickup of new shoe! Last week MoonFlower bought me that for my birthday.

On the way back, I stopped by at the cafe nearby my apartment. Relaxed.
Still long time to go for the holiday!

Invited to a wedding took place at Westin Tokyo. 100-some to celebrate one couple's wedding. Wow!
Lots of people from different industries... different worlds.
I was there... not knowing (practically) anybody! Kept exchanging business cards.
Wow, famous ex-Sumo wrestler was there, too-


Named "Kyokushu-zan" from Mongolia.

How did I like it? Wedding was superb and certainly great ceremony. Though, I was bid disappointed with Hotel's service. This isn't first visit for me. Actually, the 2nd time. Same impression. The quality of service level remains not good. Hmmm.

Yeah, it's called Golden Week, the biggest holiday season in Japan. Today it begins.
Well, May 1 & 2 are still regular working day. I am lucky enough to take days off then. Thus, I have 9-day vacation from this day on! (WOW)

Here is my schedule:

28th: no plan
29th: wedding
30th: lunch appointment with Mother
1st: no plan
2nd: no plan
3rd: Dinner with MoonFlower at "Lawry's"
4th: Paul Smith Sale
5th: TBD
6th: TBD

Wait. Mostly I have NO PLAN!!! Hehehe.

Se acabo! Yeah, it is finished! It's "COMPLETE" status for this project.
Long? Short? Well, I feel like it was short. Time quickly passed by. I learned a lot for sure.

For lunch, all project members joined me at fancy restaurant to congratulate me on completion.
Pretty fancy meal at pretty decent price! Hehehe.

Project's final party is scheduled at the end of coming month. Yeah, my potion is coming to an end this time. Everyone else still has to work butt off!!!

Well, thank you!!!

Hmmm, one day to go. Yep, last day is tomorrow. What does this mean?
Well, current project that I have been engaged since February is to come to an end tomorrow. Yeah, good deal? Well, at least it is going to be a big relief. Don't know how this first project to be evaluated by the client... directly becomes my assessment.

I don't worry too much about it because, as many of you know, that this is the first project since I become a management consultant. No surprise about "slow" start, huh!

I will share the outcome when becomes available to myself. It is important to see if I have some "bright" future as consultant or not. It makes a difference for sure. Agree? Of course.

Thus, I spent entire day for PPT production. More than 200 slides made during the period. Now I sort them out and rearrange some, delete some, etc. Finally deliverable is to be 60-some slide long.

Your next question is like "What project next?" - yeah, am curious as well. Don't know yet. Will figure it out.

Who cares, huh? Yeah, it is my 30-some birthday!!!
Yep, that means I can open IT up today. Remember of the gift box? Time to open it. Sure, I did.



Yeah, it was a pen. Another fountain pen that I bought for myself.
Difficult to see? Here is close-up.



First time ever bought St. Dupont brand. Well, so far so GREAT.

Hey, those who sent me a BD message... I THANK YOU! Sorry, am somewhat tied with work and cannot return your message yet. Over this coming holiday period, I surely write you back! I promise.

No BD cake or champagne tonight, though. Hehehe.

Man, made it! I almost started worrying about this arrival. I know that it's my BD tomorrow. If not made it, it wouldn't still be problem much... Though, it is nice to have this before my birthday! Thank God!



It got here around 8:30pm. No wonder that I left the office at 7pm to make sure that I would be home by 8pm. Delivery was expected between 8 and 9. Thus, I had a serious reason to be home by then. Hehehe.

Yeah, this was SERIOUS shopping... that's why I was serious about this.
What is this? Well, I won't tell until tomorrow. I will share details of this tomorrow for sure.

Of course, I have opened the box and everything. Before myself right now, I have a great stuff... another one to my collection! Hehehe.
You know what I talk about. If so, you really do know about me SO WELL!

Work was quite flat. Spent time on PPT slides... yeah 60 of them. The number will go up by end of tomorrow. Due? I think I can deliver this deliverable to my client at the end of Thursday.
My last day at the current project is Friday!

Last week of the month begins! Also, last week of current project begins! Man, yeah, it's about time!
Before leaving the office tonight, I chatted with consultant engaging other project... he's Indian. He was surprised with my say about my soon departure.
Well, tomorrow some executive meeting is scheduled. I am not going to attend. If the outcome from the meeting is TOTALLY UNEXPECTED, then the scope of project may shift quickly. That may mean the different goal that entails different schedule.
Will see how it goes.

All day long because I have finished analysis phase of this project, I spent most of time for PPT slides explaining how to analyze the data step by step. Well, not the serious analysis that requires skillful consultant (like me! - BANG!) Rather, this is light version. Fundamental analysis. Almost done. I should finish it up by tomorrow afternoon.

Rakuten shop sent me an Email message informing the goods that I made purchase the other day is now shipping out! Yeah, about time!!! My BD is just around the corner... Glad that it will make it soon. What is it? I will share that in detail with you. Just bear with me for a second!

Lunch - Japanese Bento Box for JPY650.
Supper - Curry over Rice at Matsuya for JPY350.

JPY1,000 total for meal. Yeah, it's only 8 bucks! Good (great) saving! Well done, Ogakijin!

Sunday... with no plans!
Oh, Amazon.co.jp delivered my order this morning. Yeah, I previously ordered a magazine.



It was "Think!" Magazine. For consult and young people for management. Even before Thunderbird MBA, I often bought this quarterly magazine. This time, I bought it particularly because my (big) boss of current project was in it.

He talked about guestimate logical thinking, typical question style in interview at management consulting firms nowadays.
This magazine isn't that easy-to-read stuff. You have to sit deep and tight for reading! Hahaha.
Well, it'll take a while for me to finish reading all this.

Am sure that it'll be definitely worth $20! (Gotta be!)

OK, one more week before the Golden Week! I may come to 9-consecutive-day vacation!!!

Still shopping? Happened to be! What's up, folks!
I gave a morning call to MoonFlower at 8:30am. Since then, I kept calling. Finally, I "succeeded" to wake her up at 10am.

We went to Tokyo Big Sight... around 2:30pm. For what? Shopping. Period. It was Ralph Lauren.
MoonFlower bought a trouser for work.
I bought both suit (regular price exceeding $1K!) and brown belt.

Of course, couldn't afford that much ($1K) for a suit! The discount price was much lower (gotta be!).

After this shopping, moved on to Ginza.
in Matsuya Department Store, MoonFlower bought ME shoes! Brown shoes! For my birthday!
(Yep, that's why I bought brown belt before then.)

For supper, we went to "Aida" restaurant near my apartment. We ate and ate! Not much drink.
Cheap... but taste was WONDERFUL! Seriously. No question.

Hi, folks! It's Friday! Ready for weekend? Full of plans?
For me, I cut out the work early because I had to go to American Club for Company's Kick Off Meeting.
From 6pm, serious meeting took place with full of details about last fiscal year performance. Casual party followed.
I finally came to know more people working for the same company.
So far I had limited access to other consultants who engaged in other tasks.

Oh, I saw Dave Spector (Dave Mark "Dave" Spector) - Famous American fellow frequently appeared on TV in Japan.
He is always funny on TV... though, he seemed pretty serious when I saw him walking in to the American Club (where my meeting took place tonight).

I didn't finish the night at American Club. Followed other consultants. Drank until 11:30pm... and went on to Karaoke until 2am.
Finally decided to finish it up then.

With other consultant, I intended to grab a cab for home.
Well, it took us longer than 30 minutes for a ride. Obviously, Roppongi is big place... everyone wanted cab!
I came home... it was 3:30am. Yep, way passed my usual bed time! Hehehe.

Great night, though! Had fun.

April 19 - this was the date originally set as Goal of Project. Yeah, my first consulting project should have some "result" or "outcome" or "feedback" from my performance... or whatever! I should have something about finishing up this project anyway!

What happened? Truly, NOTHING. Surely, executive meeting took place. I was there then.
Presentation went well... However, didn't reach the last slide after one hour!

How come?

Different point from the scope of the project was raised by one executive.
Then, it suddenly became a big issue. Definitely good analysis (of my work!) gave the client company a big insight of the fact out there.

The other executive told me:
"It was great analysis. I am sure that it was hard work to analyze the data in that many different aspects. Well done."

Well, that was a little more than I deserved, I think. Maybe it was nothing but formality. Though, I was relieved from the pressure, at least.

Don't know whether I continue this project or conclude this by end of month. Originally, end of month.
I will know it sooner or later...

$40M - that's the amount that I had a big discussion about. Yep, its for work.
$3 - that was my supper after work. On the way home.

Wow, big gap. What's wrong in this picture? Hahaha.

Yeah, had a meeting - long meeting with 4 other consultants of OTHER firm. Yeah, interesting huh. My portion of the project is sort branch of that those consultants manage. Happened to be different firm from mine.
That is how this interesting picture of scene created.

I showed my PPT slides to them. Not big criticism at least today. Hahaha. Thank God!
Well, serious meeting is scheduled tomorrow. Yep, it is crunch time! Finally.
Don't know what to expect... Something unexpected may come out of bloom! Hehehe. Will see.

My project may call its end very soon...

Gee... some people around me now know of my website. Wow, that's a big danger! Hahaha. Just kidding.
My project manager found this site and gave me some comment about it.
Plus, my client heard about this and may have been checking this out already! Wow...

Hey, this is totally harmless. No one gets any problem! So I believe...

My project manager told me that my tie for the day was rather simple... Too bad that I didn't wear Versace. Instead, I chose Boss for the day.

Spent entire morning for meeting. Some discussion and brainstorming.
For entire afternoon, I spent my time for data analysis... due tomorrow or so because BIG meeting is scheduled in Thursday morning. Yeah, big verdict is coming out then.

Dead serious about this? I finally found IT... at other Internet shop managed by Rakuten, the largest online shopping mall in Japan.
Yesterday's order to other store turned out to be failure... I reported so.
Today's order, I received a message from the store that it did carry the stock... MAYBE last one! Hmmm.
If I missed, I would be able to get one for myself... I think.

Wait. Purchase order is complete... means that I owe big bucks! Pay by credit card... Wow, I now worry about the money.
Yep, this is my "usual" disease... sometimes it becomes out of control. This time, it is definitely so! Hehehe.

I presume that I can receive IT by 25th... I will share what it is then (probably with photo).
If you know me well, you can guess what I am going to get. This is pretty easy question to them if they know well about how I spend my money.

Oh... am looking forward to the gift to myself. Cannot wait.

With support of MoonFlower (not financially but mentally...) I made a BIG CLICK at online store in this evening.
Yeah, for myself.

I didn't plan to buy anything for myself.. ORIGINALLY. Gradually, the mood of purchase is up and today I made a choice.
I decided to give myself REWARD! HEHEHE.

Remember of the list that I showed yesterday? Yeah, it could be one of them. It could be TOTALLY surprise.
Who knows?!

GW... the Golden Week... I should have some good plan. I may have an extended holiday series if I can get "PTO" or paid time off on both 1st and 2nd of May! That makes up a long vacation! (9 days) If becomes true, I will be super duper happy!
Too bad that I am broke... (because of that BD present order), no more big spending.

You know what? Just heard from the store that I sent my order... OUT OF STOCK. It even checked with the importer of goods and the news from it was that there was no further plan to import the goods. Means that quantity of supply is extremely limited and I may NOT come to get one this time.

Wow, only the option I have for now is giving this up?

VA Tech... is now chaos? Some people fired the lethal weapon on campus and killed many people so instantly? Oh boy... That's Lee's school (he graduated long time ago, though).

First time to visit Omotesando Hills, a big shopping complex in Omotesando area.
This is, as you may know, my favorite shopping district. Like Ginza!

Lots of expensive stuff in luxury shops like Dunhill or D&G, etc.
Did I buy anything? Gotta be kidding! Cannot afford anything... even a cup of coffee!

Check following items in different shops afterward:

-Fountain pen
-Leather shoe
-Suit
-Pen case
-Notebook
-Bag

Yep, everything was for my next plan of purchase... My BD present. Hahaha.
Wait. Didn't I "CLICK" the buy button on Internet yesterday? That's true!
So how come I needed to check things out like that? Well... don't know.

MoonFlower took off from me since she had appointment with other friends at Ritz Carlton (Tokyo). Oh boy! She had something at such luxury hotel newly open the other day? Wow, must be nice! Am sure that whatever she was going to have would be super duper expensive.

I better stay home not to spend any extra penny!

Golfing is cancelled for the day! Too bad, huh! I wanted to go! Sure, definitely.
I had to pass because I had to work... home. I needed to secure my time for this work... I made the decision not to golf today because of that. Now I think that I had made a right decision then.

Woke up around 8-ish. Did all chore and started working around 10am.
Done by 3pm. At least I planned so and complete that by then.

Called MoonFlower afterward.
I wanted her to push my back to support my idea of buying something for myself on coming BD.
Yeah, it is coming again!

A) shoe
B) fountain pen
C) suit
D) cuff links
E) bag

What did I buy then? Well, I will tell that sooner or later.
Though, for sure, I ordered over Internet. Don't know of inventory, though. I had known that importer of the goods kept saying that there is no stocks and no plans to import any further. That means, I have little luck? Hmmm.

My BD? 4-25. FYI.

Wow, Friday the 13th, huh! What's up with y'all?
My Friday turned out to be quite busy one!
Didn't raise much of my expectation about getting some necessary information for my project.
Well, it came in.
Thus, I became quite busy and swamped with such data (quite large!) from the morning.
It means that I have to cancel the golfing tomorrow? Well, I have to think that carefully.

Meeting from 3pm was quite interesting.
I wanted to get buy-in from everyone... the point was clear... and I got it from each one of them.
Though, nothing is assured on coming big meeting that is scheduled for next week.
Today's members weren't the primary stakeholder... Rather are supporters.

Wish me luck for following week! That' the end of project! First project of me as consultant!

Meeting from 5pm... originally thought to be crunch time. Well, that focus became so vague at the end of meeting.
What happened?

I dealt with one of executives for sales. For the issues, I got reasonable understand from that fellow.
Though, he kept focusing on sales issue - his entire responsibility. He never came down to the ground that I wanted to talk about the issues from current project.
At least he's now well informed. Though, don't know what to happen next with this meeting.
I may have spent time for nothing? That executive may not take any action influencing something to the project? Hmmm.

Lots of things are now questioned and seemed never answered! Hmmm, that's troublesome!

Maybe I should concern about how peaceful I may come to the Golden Week? Hehehe, that's simple!

Busy? Yeah, I was. Several meetings took place in the afternoon. Well, all went okay (not quite well, but...)

Wow, Thunderbird maintained the number one spot in International Business MBA on "U.S. News & World Report" - CONGRATULATIONS!
12 consecutive years? Great deal.
Am sure that lots of people, inlcuding administrative staff, feel very "relieved" by now for this fact.

1. Thunderbird School of Global Management
2. University of South Carolina (Moore)
3. University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4. Columbia University
5. Duke University (Fuqua)
6. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ross)
7. Harvard University
8. New York University (Stern)
9. University of California- L.A. (Anderson)
10. University of California-Berkeley (Haas)

Wow, what happened to Harvard? Thought that it were at higher place before. Wait. This category must have become the very competitive one due to current needs from the realty. Don't you agree?

Thursday is over! One more day to go? Cannot wait! Can you? Oh, you guys don't have any class on Friday! I wish I still were T-bird!!!
Oh, wait. Being T-bird still means no income. Wow, that's serious issue.

Rumor again!

MIA
SAO
MIA
DFW (became true)
ATL

so... what's next?

No clue? No more? Had come up with some idea and saw how it would work today. It did! Amazingly enough.
My client was impressed and became quite happy with the result that I showed after working on it all day long.
Wow, didn't know it would turn out to be that way.

Unfortunately, that was only short win. Not the major one. Great progress, though. Will see if I can come up with more ideas or not... That's pretty tough.

Left work around 8pm. Yep, same thing over and over everyday!
However, no bringing work home. Good deal. Will let myself relaxed... I am watching TV tonight.

Oh, I met some lady being used to work for one of top strategy consulting firms. Very impressive. She was very... very... and very... energetic! Way more than I am. I should look up to someone like her.

Tired!!!

Man, SO tired. I even asked my client to excuse me earlier than usual. Well, I left work before he did.
That's rare to happen. First time?
Came home straight (of course!) and went to bed straight!
Yeah, ended up sleeping long hours... from 9pm. No kidding. That's exactly what I just needed.
Ran ouf of energy for sure.
 
Hopefully, this is to be good "power" sleep to be super productive tomorrow or so.
Result? Will see.
On the way home... even being very tired, my brain was still working for some solution to the client.
I must love this work!
You know what? Came up with some clue to tackle some issue that we have faced from the beggining.
This may help to resolve some constraints. Yeah, really.
This is my new task for tomorrow.
Anyway, do whatever I can!

Amazing!!! Ogaki Nichidai High came close enough to impress the world! At least so in Japan! The baseball team made the championship game today and lost the game by 4-5 to Shizuoka's high school. Well done, though!

I didn't watch the game at all. Had to work!
Though, my client knew that I would mind the game... so periodically he gave me update. Thanks!

Was I busy? Yeah, quite bit.

Being hard worker(?) doesn't allow myself to stick with you folks for frequent update in this site! Hehehe.
Some of you wondered how I manage my life currently... here is some clue for y'all.
 
6:40am wake-up
-7:30am breakfast while watching TV (coffee & bread)
-7:50am ready for work
8:00am departure
8:16am train at Koiwa Station
about 8:40am transit Ochanomizu -> Shin Ochanomizu (subway called "Tokyo Metro")
8:55am Akasaka
9am work start
12pm till 1pm lunch (budget 1,000 yen or 9 dollars)
7:50pm leave work
8:50pm home & supper
9:30pm bath
10pm till 1am work home
1am bed
 
Yeah, this is typical. Very rare NOT to bring work home...
Means that I am not that productive at work? Could be. As you know, am below-average person!
I have to take extra time to get some work done!!! Hehehe.

Whether you (or I) like it or not, that's how it goes for now. Could be worse... could be better...

High School Baseball is hot stuff right now. One from Ogaki is now making the quarter final of national championship!!!
Man, we all should take the bottle of sake and go to Osaka for the tournament. Support the team!!!

Wait... that's SENBIKIYA's special strawberry dessert. It's "Queen Strawberry." This dish is for 20 bucks!!!