I am not the best speller in the world. I mean, I just checked whether grammar was spelled with an "ar" or "er" (And I was wrong!). Duh. Luckily, though, there is a simple solution for this issue of mine: automated spellcheck.
Now this isn't some new invention, I think even Word 1992 had the dang program. But what did I just spend 1.5 hours doing? Correcting a document (granted it was in excel and not word) for friggin spelling errors. Like "warrnty" and "manigement". Yes, there were some translation errors as well, and some grammar problems, but seriously, spelling?
How do people not know about this? Why am I spending my time checking this? When I finally finished the dang thing, I met with the colleague who had done the work (whose English is crap and who has been assigned this task as a means of improving it) and told him from now on he needs to put the document through a spell checker, even if it means importing it into word. And he seemed to think that this should not be his job.
grr...
-------
OK, rant over. In other news, I have been back in Japan for a little while now, but sorry, the beach was way more interesting than this blog. I am sure you would agree! :)
Oh, and I am thinking about going backwards - from in-house to a biglaw position. More on that another time.
- LS
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Short Hiatus
Work is sending me to Europe for the summer! Well, 6 weeks of the summer anyway. I mean, I have to "work" or whatever while I'm there.
But. Europe. Summer.
I love my job.
-LS
But. Europe. Summer.
I love my job.
-LS
Friday, May 9, 2008
What I miss...
My perfect way to celebrate, back in my LA-living days, was to drink and go shopping. In that order. Some of my favorite memories are of times spent skipping out on school/work on Friday afternoons. My friends and I would order margaritas, or in later years, dirty martinis, at lunchtime, and then go shopping while tipsy/drunk.
Two problems with doing that in my current situation. (1) No margaritas or dirty martinis, and (2) no shopping.
The thing is, if I lived in a normal metropolitan area of Japan, this would not be a problem. There must be nearly as many GAPs per capita in Japan as in the US, as well as Zaras and Banana Republics,* and I have seen some pretty cool local stores in both Tokyo and Osaka. In those areas, there are also Mexican food places and western bars that serve decent dirty martinis.
However, I live in bum-f$%& Japan, or as the Japanese call it, "inaka." You can't even get here by bullet train - It is a good 3 hours from a major metropolitan area, and doesn't even have a Starbucks or Peets Coffee.
Now, there are good things about this. Like how I can experience "the real" Japan, how I am forced to actually speak Japanese when I go out, and the great opportunities for hiking, camping, skiing, and even surfing. And how Starbucks has not completely taken over the world quite yet.
BUT, as much as all those outdoor things are great, I MISS SHOPPING! Yes, there are shops, but honestly not with anything that suits me. The clothes are styled for 5 ft. 2 in., 100 lb. country women with no curves. I am no giant, but that does not describe me.
And even worse, I can't wear the shoes here! They generally go up to a size 8 US, and I am a size 9. I actually had to buy MENS golf shoes the other day. Ugh. For a woman who once had a shoe calender on her office wall, this is a Very Bad Thing.
It is good for my wallet, I am sure. But definately something that I miss. Of course, it means that when I do go to a big city, or even better, go to Europe/US, I tend to go a little crazy shopping.
*Banana Republic sucks here, though - they only carry up to a US size 4. Boo.
Two problems with doing that in my current situation. (1) No margaritas or dirty martinis, and (2) no shopping.
The thing is, if I lived in a normal metropolitan area of Japan, this would not be a problem. There must be nearly as many GAPs per capita in Japan as in the US, as well as Zaras and Banana Republics,* and I have seen some pretty cool local stores in both Tokyo and Osaka. In those areas, there are also Mexican food places and western bars that serve decent dirty martinis.
However, I live in bum-f$%& Japan, or as the Japanese call it, "inaka." You can't even get here by bullet train - It is a good 3 hours from a major metropolitan area, and doesn't even have a Starbucks or Peets Coffee.
Now, there are good things about this. Like how I can experience "the real" Japan, how I am forced to actually speak Japanese when I go out, and the great opportunities for hiking, camping, skiing, and even surfing. And how Starbucks has not completely taken over the world quite yet.
BUT, as much as all those outdoor things are great, I MISS SHOPPING! Yes, there are shops, but honestly not with anything that suits me. The clothes are styled for 5 ft. 2 in., 100 lb. country women with no curves. I am no giant, but that does not describe me.
And even worse, I can't wear the shoes here! They generally go up to a size 8 US, and I am a size 9. I actually had to buy MENS golf shoes the other day. Ugh. For a woman who once had a shoe calender on her office wall, this is a Very Bad Thing.
It is good for my wallet, I am sure. But definately something that I miss. Of course, it means that when I do go to a big city, or even better, go to Europe/US, I tend to go a little crazy shopping.
*Banana Republic sucks here, though - they only carry up to a US size 4. Boo.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mistakes...
Reviewing last months pay stub, I was surprised to notice that the usual $200 I pay for rent on my big beautiful house (my company pays the rest), $330 had been deducted. I resolved to do something about this change, raise a fuss, demand my money back....and promptly forgot about it.
This morning, I was sitting at my desk trying to stay awake reviewing a contract when two men came to my desk. With much low bowing, the older man told me in Japanese that his department made a mistake in the rent for last month. While he was talking, the younger man translated.
Then they gave me a memo - written in excellect English - expressing their "sincere apologies" and explaining how the steps they are taking to make sure this doesn't happen in the future.
I am loving Japan right now. If this were the States, I would maybe have gotten an email. Maybe.
This morning, I was sitting at my desk trying to stay awake reviewing a contract when two men came to my desk. With much low bowing, the older man told me in Japanese that his department made a mistake in the rent for last month. While he was talking, the younger man translated.
Then they gave me a memo - written in excellect English - expressing their "sincere apologies" and explaining how the steps they are taking to make sure this doesn't happen in the future.
I am loving Japan right now. If this were the States, I would maybe have gotten an email. Maybe.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Annual Review
My first work review was last week. I was quite worried about it; my boss speaks no English and is 59 years old - needless to say we do not have much interaction. I try my best to make sure to have casual conversation in Japanese with him so that he realizes that I am (hopefully!) improving my language skills, and to try to form some sort of relationship, but I had no idea whether it was working or not. Since work-related issues always go through the filter of a co-worker, it is easy for things to get lost in translation.
I am glad to report that on the whole I had a very positive review. There wasn't much to it when we started - I got a raise, I should work on communicating better. Then I started to ask questions - is this the normal raise? Well, no it is actually twice the normal amount. Why is that? Well, we want you to work hard this upcoming year, and you have done your job properly this past year. Is there anything you would like me to improve? No. And by the way I noticed that you are helpful in the X project.
Basically, what I finally figured out was that my boss doesn't "do" compliments...But he does think that I am doing well.
I am glad to report that on the whole I had a very positive review. There wasn't much to it when we started - I got a raise, I should work on communicating better. Then I started to ask questions - is this the normal raise? Well, no it is actually twice the normal amount. Why is that? Well, we want you to work hard this upcoming year, and you have done your job properly this past year. Is there anything you would like me to improve? No. And by the way I noticed that you are helpful in the X project.
Basically, what I finally figured out was that my boss doesn't "do" compliments...But he does think that I am doing well.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
No Rest for the Wicked!
Well, it has been a while since I have posted. Here are some highlights of why:
1. Husband out of town! Must cook for myself! Understand the plight of 1950s men everywhere!
2. End of snowboarding season! Must master red slopes and get use out of cute new gear!
3. Legal conference = must go drinking with other lawyers 4 nights straight!
4. Legal conference = must get into arguments about how to handle legal issues! Must feel attacked and want to quit!
5. Legal Conference = must drink to forget the stress of work! Cannot drink alone, must go out with friends and get pissed!
6. After going to bars, must sing karaoke until 4 am! Must sleep at all other possible times to support new late-night singing career!
- LS
1. Husband out of town! Must cook for myself! Understand the plight of 1950s men everywhere!
2. End of snowboarding season! Must master red slopes and get use out of cute new gear!
3. Legal conference = must go drinking with other lawyers 4 nights straight!
4. Legal conference = must get into arguments about how to handle legal issues! Must feel attacked and want to quit!
5. Legal Conference = must drink to forget the stress of work! Cannot drink alone, must go out with friends and get pissed!
6. After going to bars, must sing karaoke until 4 am! Must sleep at all other possible times to support new late-night singing career!
- LS
Friday, February 8, 2008
What to do...
I was thinking about blogging about my trip last weekend, when I went ice-fishing with some people from work. Or about how I am learning to snowboard. But then this happened...
I am at our weekly telephone conference with our in-house legal department in the States.
I need to talk about an upcoming project, which I, and one other legal department member, had been put in charge of. While working on the project this week, he and I realized that we needed to add some tasks to the original request we had given our US counsel.
The other person assigned to the project is out of the office, so it fell to me to make it clear that the original task assignments were being changed. I start explaining this, when suddenly, one of the US-based attorneys (who is Japanese) piped up, in Japanese, that this was not what had previously been decided. Now first of all, it is inappropriate to speak in Japanese during these meetings since not everyone understands Japanese. Secondly, I was at that very point explaining the change.
As I try to explain this, our team leader here in Japan then realizes that he also did not know about this change. It should have been irrelevant - I am in charge of the project, and do not need him to sign off on changes. Nonetheless, he began (also in Japanese) to state how he did not know of this change and is not sure if it is correct, etc. etc. Even worse, when I try to explain, he tells the local counsel that we will have to get back to him on the issue and ends the telephone call.
I am furious. I looked like an idiot, and what's worse, I looked like I did not have the trust of those around me. I am certain that this would not have happened if I was a male Japanese employee. But this is Japan, where direct confrontations are just not done. So do I say something, and possibly make it worse, or do I let it lie, and by doing so, possibly acquiesce to such behavior?
My gut instinct is that if I don't say something, this person will continue to act in a similar manner. So, dear reader(s), what do you suggest? Do I let him have it? (In a polite and respectful manner, of course?) Or do I suck it up? Or something in between??
- LS
I am at our weekly telephone conference with our in-house legal department in the States.
I need to talk about an upcoming project, which I, and one other legal department member, had been put in charge of. While working on the project this week, he and I realized that we needed to add some tasks to the original request we had given our US counsel.
The other person assigned to the project is out of the office, so it fell to me to make it clear that the original task assignments were being changed. I start explaining this, when suddenly, one of the US-based attorneys (who is Japanese) piped up, in Japanese, that this was not what had previously been decided. Now first of all, it is inappropriate to speak in Japanese during these meetings since not everyone understands Japanese. Secondly, I was at that very point explaining the change.
As I try to explain this, our team leader here in Japan then realizes that he also did not know about this change. It should have been irrelevant - I am in charge of the project, and do not need him to sign off on changes. Nonetheless, he began (also in Japanese) to state how he did not know of this change and is not sure if it is correct, etc. etc. Even worse, when I try to explain, he tells the local counsel that we will have to get back to him on the issue and ends the telephone call.
I am furious. I looked like an idiot, and what's worse, I looked like I did not have the trust of those around me. I am certain that this would not have happened if I was a male Japanese employee. But this is Japan, where direct confrontations are just not done. So do I say something, and possibly make it worse, or do I let it lie, and by doing so, possibly acquiesce to such behavior?
My gut instinct is that if I don't say something, this person will continue to act in a similar manner. So, dear reader(s), what do you suggest? Do I let him have it? (In a polite and respectful manner, of course?) Or do I suck it up? Or something in between??
- LS
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