Arrugh, Its Monday

A weekend of translating once again, a long  e-mail from a Japanese woman, fresh back from a trip to the U.S., regarding ‘the problem’ The e-mail starts off with the author, a Japanese woman in international PR, making groveling apology to a male department manager (not hers I think) over her ‘poor’ reporting to him.

On the one hand I can see why perhaps the manager jumped on her; that if constant watch is kept on keeping the details good, then the greater whole is solid.  But on the other hand, and what I lean towards is something I have seen over and over at Large International Automobile Manufacturer #1 is  someone jumping on and taking those below them to task over minutiae and ignoring the greater picture.  My opinion that those at Large International Automobile Manufacturer #1 were clueless as to what was about to hit them, remains unchanged.

Mentioned the translation work  in passing to a Canadian in Nagoya, who works for said OEM and asked if he knew the woman who’s   (brain fart) whose e-mail I translated.  Turns out he knows her quite well and suggested should I ever be in the neighborhood, we all have some drinks and maybe a laugh over it all.  May just do that as I am thinking of going to Japan soon to wrap up some loose ends (have oodles and oodles of banked  air miles).  Would be kind of interesting to meet this woman, but also weird, as by translating, I’ve in a manner of speaking, rifled through her intellectual ‘purse’.

Last night was the annual college fair last night, and rather than walk around, I this time behind the table- in a one-man Greek chorus ‘Yes, its a great place. By all means send you child here!’ role.  Kept a smile on my face, and tried to make eye contact to ‘reel’ people in; not so sure that was all that successful as the table was right next to Ohio State’s, and my ‘look’ make actually frighten and not be alluring.  Was nearly knocked off my heels by a father and daughter who had traveled all the way from, Bristol, like Bristol near the Tennessee border, Bristol!  A good day’s drive; one way.  That’s what I call dedication.