The Week ahead

Posted on 2007/07/23 03:14:30 (July 2007).

[Monday 23rd July]

Now writing from the office, the seat that they gave me is quite cool because it`s right at a corner of the huge room where 70 people are crammed. This means that I get to see everyone but nobody is overlooking my shoulders, which is something that I hate.

The other positive thing is that my colleagues cannot talk to me unless they come here (the other side of the room), so it means that my boss cannot put me to those nice menial tasks that he makes up for me (like make these photocopies, write this shipping tag, look at this blank paper), so I am free to do my own things (I need to update some excel lists and start making the invoices that I usually send them to get paid...).

Either than that office work in Japan is close to nothingness, so I just bum around the net.

The week ahead it`s going to be tough.

First and foremost, the meeting over dinner next Wednesday to talk about my contract and the problems that I have with this job. The outcome could mean big changes in my life, at least for the work part.
I am resolute to have things going my way, otherwise I am on the lookout for a new job.

Then my colleague and great guy E.san has already told me that he`s organizing dinners out with several people, which means lots of alcohol and late hours.
I managed to avoid them last week on the account that I was tired and jetlagged , this week there is no way to do that I am afraid.
It is not that bad, of course I love being together with other people having a laugh and drinking, it`s just that sometimes we tend to overdo it and I am not as good as him at keeping the hangover at bay the day after, having to work...

On the job side we will have to start arranging the presentation that we will have next week, this time I hope we do not have to come on Saturday to do it...
It`s better this way, because being bored here is quite bad as you can imagine!

Ah yes, drinking on a school night can be quite perilous! What I find makes a huge difference to whether or not I have a hangover to contend with is whether or not I have a proper meal. If I can eat a decent dinner - and preferably before any serious drinking commences - I can usually avoid the unpleasantness the following morning. In Japan it is not so common to drink without eating anything at all which is a good thing in this respect.

Here in the UK I have quite often fallen into the trap of going for a "quick drink" after work, starting off with the intention of only having one or two and then getting something for dinner, but then ending up just drinking and not eating anything. These are usually the cause of the nastier hangovers the next morning.

If you have any input into where you are going in the evening, how about suggesting to go somewhere to eat first which doesn't actually serve alcohol. This may make your Japanese colleagues somewhat depressed to begin with, but it will at least ensure you've got a good meal inside you before the onsluaght of drinking commences.

Unfortunately I don't know anywhere in Tokyo that *doesn't* serve alcohol!

Posted by John at 2007/07/23 22:43:26.

Are there going to be any female colleagues on any of the nights out this week? They can be used as an excellent excuse to avoid excessive drinking - suggest going to some girly cafe type place for tea and cake.

This comes with a number of benefits:

- Your female colleagues will think you're wonderful and sensitive and will be even more attracted to you than they probably already are.

- Your male colleagues will think you're a bit soft, but secretly they'll be jealous of how much more popular you are with the ladies, and will therefore worship you as some form of shinto deity.

- You won't have to throw up in the office toilet the next morning.

Everyone's a winner!

Posted by John at 2007/07/23 23:13:11.

John: Maybe Meiji Jingu doesn't serve alcohol.. .:D Here in Tokyo as you well know alcohol is served everywhere! The case eat/drink is a valid one, usually we end up in a pub of some sorts, which means eating a lot of nibbles and generally crappy food and drinking a lot. So in a way I have the perception that I am eating but in reality I am not. Well it has to be said that any serious drinking will not take place before Thursday or Friday as we are held up for business related dinners both today (Tuesday ) and tomorrow (well tomorrow is the big one...)..

Posted by Lox at 2007/07/23 23:45:38.

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