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Wish me luck!

Mikawa Ossan

いかんわ!
17 Sep 2005
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I am teetering on the edge of making a very important decision.

If you have seen my page at mixi, you know that I have a certain long-term problem, and I desperately want to fix it.

I think I've found a way; I'm going to forget that the past several years have even happened and quit my job and look for a new one, prefferably in the Kansai (Osaka) area. I'll go wherever I can find work, but my hope is to move back to my roots in Osaka.

I feel excited and scared. Any help at all will be most appreciated, including your warm words of encouragement.

Basically it is time to move my life to the next step, be that for better or worse. I need to start living again.

I haven't quite made the decision yet, but I am teetering very precariously at the precipice, and I can feel the wind at my back. After being in a certain comfort zone for so long, I have to say, I haven't felt such raw fear in a long time.

Wish me luck!
 
WOW !! I never would have known!!

Anyway, there's that song I recall. . .'a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. . .' I can understand your emotions on that...the excitement and the 'fear,' the anticipation and hope for better things to come, and all !!

It does mean that there will be far fewer times that we can get together--since Osaka is just that much farther down the road from Shiga. . . But I be you'll have some good times with other members of JREF who live down that ways !! (and even carpooling might be good for the next JREF meet in Shiga that a few of you from down there can all make)

I feel both happy and sad...but I wish you luck !! I hope the winds of fortune, love, and health are the ones that are pushing you onward !! 👍🙂
 
WOW !! I never would have known!!
Anyway, there's that song I recall. . .'a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. . .' I can understand your emotions on that...the excitement and the 'fear,' the anticipation and hope for better things to come, and all !!
It does mean that there will be far fewer times that we can get together--since Osaka is just that much farther down the road from Shiga. . . But I be you'll have some good times with other members of JREF who live down that ways !! (and even carpooling might be good for the next JREF meet in Shiga that a few of you from down there can all make)
I feel both happy and sad...but I wish you luck !! I hope the winds of fortune, love, and health are the ones that are pushing you onward !! 👍🙂

Well said MM! Indeed Mikawa Ossan i hope you will find work and i give the most encouragement and i hope you'll find a job that really may be named as a JOB a good job that you like to do in the place where you love to be and i hope you will be fine in the future,

Most luck, and courage tomodachi!

like they say in Latin : Tabula Rasa: a new start

Greetz from a friend:

-Herbalツ≫┐.
 
Thank you, everyone!
It does mean that there will be far fewer times that we can get together--since Osaka is just that much farther down the road from Shiga. . .
Yeah, although it would only be about a 5 hour drive from Osaka to get there. Even so, it would be much more difficult to do a weekend stint like the other week.
I feel both happy and sad...but I wish you luck !! I hope the winds of fortune, love, and health are the ones that are pushing you onward !! 👍🙂
Well, if you know of anything, let me know! Like I say, although my first choice is to rediscover my long lost roots in Osaka, I am far too much of a realist to say "Osaka or bust!"

I will start the job search in earnest next month. If things go well, I plan to sell my car to a buddy who will then export it to New Zealand. That has to happen soon if at all because apparently the emission standards will be changing there in the near future. Then I'll buy pretty much the cheapest car I can find to hold me until the move, at which time I'll just junk it (assuming that I move to Osaka). A friend of mine will help me arrange a moving truck on the cheap.
 
Good luck Ossan ! I myself am in a sort of pinch at the moment because of looking for a job abroad. I hope you will find what you're looking for and wish you all the best ! :) Maybe next year we can meet each other if my trip to Japan is possible.
 
Eh... well I don't know the specifics of your circumstances but I am sure you will be able to find work wherever you ultimately wish to relocate to. I can understand your attachment to Osaka though, wonderful city. It took me almost six years total living in Sapporo, Nagoya, and now Fukuoka before I finally found what I wanted. I wish you the best of luck in doing the same.
 
I think it is always good to move on with your life if you have the feeling you have been stuck for too long.

If you need my help with anything, just ask me and I'll do my best to help you out. It would be nice if you would move to Osaka, at least we can drink beers together so now and then.
 
Maa, Better watch out for those women in Osaka !!! (j/k) :p....at least the Kyoto ladies are not far off and at least you do know what you're in for ! 😌

Seriously, all the luck in the world MO. I'm sure everyone will be as happy to have you down there as you are to have made the move. You are starting to give me courage to do something similar...


引越しでいろいろ大変でしょうが、体に気をつけてくださいね。:)
 
I don't know about your specific situation, however getting a fresh start and a some new scenery is always a fun experience!

Good luck and have fun!
 
:eek2:

What!?! Oh man, oh man ... Naw, man, nawwww.
What about Monochrome, man? And the Facilities?
Man, I don't need to read this before going to sleep!
Yeah, we'll be talkin' this weekend, my friend. :p

But you know I'll support you 100%, either way!
 
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I do not know what is it all about, but I really admire you for such a big step in your life. Especially, because I know so many people who can't decide even smaller things in their life. Wish you all the best and good luck.

Fortune favors the brave.

🙂
 
I think you will like Osaka. There is soo much energy in that city, and Osaka people are not as bad as they appear to be. 😊

Finding a job shouldn't be too difficult for you because of your skills. Even I could get two jobs that had nothing to do with my previous work experiences within a month.

I can feel your confidence in your post, Mikawa! I wish you the best and let us know how you are doing!
 
"Rotsa ruck!"

On job-hunting, I have a question. Is there a Monster job search in Japan?
 
Good luck to you Mikawa Ossan. My belief is that if you feel the "itch" and it won't go away, you better follow up on it lest you regret it in the future by joining the "Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda" club.

I have always found that when the itch is that strong it is telling you something. As of yet it has not failed me. Many people thought I was crazy for quitting my cushy, corporate, executive job to drive a big truck. But the itch was there and it wouldn't go away.

Of course I was scared. What if...? What if....? What if I don't like it? I would never be able to get back the same position and salary at my age. Even my immediate boss, the president of the company, said I was nuts and was too old. Well, nine years later I am still at it and I have never been happier. It was one of the best moves of my life and I am so glad that I followed up on it.

The same holds true when I sold my business in Japan at "the right time" in 1988 to return to the states. Many people thought I was crazy to give up such a lucrative business. The economy crashed shortly thereafter as I suspected it would. It was the right move at the right time (for me anyways) and I followed my intuition.

Therefore, if you feel the urge for a change in your life GO FOR IT while you still can. At the very least, if it doesn't work out, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you went for it and you would not have to think in the future that you shoulda done it.

Good luck!
 
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Thank you, everyone! Today I started the first baby step towards my move: a friend of mine in Osaka offered to ask around for me (for work) and I accepted.

Just a baby step, but you have to start somewhere.

The more I think about it, the more I really do want to move to the Kansai area. As I've said before, that was my first home in Japan, and I've always been very partial towards it. If I were to move to say Yokohama just because I found a job there, I'd probably regret it for a long time. Not that there's anything wrong with Kanto, but my heart belongs to Kansai.
 
I think you will like Osaka. There is soo much energy in that city, and Osaka people are not as bad as they appear to be. 😊
You mean there is something there beyond comedians and the yakuza, eh??? ....:p

I don't think the regional variations in Japan are nearly as strong they are in a lot of other countries, though. In the end, it comes down to the same old place that you know and love pretty much everywhere. 👍
 
I don't think the regional variations in Japan are nearly as strong they are in a lot of other countries, though. In the end, it comes down to the same old place that you know and love pretty much everywhere. 👍
Hahaha, you've never been to Osaka, my friend!
 
Ganbatte!!! Ive only seen you around the forum for a few days but from what ive read you seem like a good guy so best of luck!
Osaka is probably the best place in Japan. Although ive never been Everywhere lol but i like it best if i was to combine reasons to stay. If i ever move to Japan ill be in Osaka no doubt. The people are alot more friendier then Tokyo's if thats an issue to others also.
 
MO,

I didn't see this until now.

I know exactly the feeling of pulling oneself out of the comfort zone.
The uncertainties and anxiety involved can be overwhelming....
Knowing you as a thoughtful person makes me believe that you must
have given alot of thought into this.

I wish you all the best and don't forget to give us an update when you
are comfortably settled down. Hey! I know who will be my tour guide
when I visit Osaka!

Good luck!

The Slow Guy
 
Hahaha, you've never been to Osaka, my friend!
I actually have been there to visit friends, but naturally any discriminatory words from someone who has not lived in Kansai with catch the ire of locals. The area is undeniably individualistic, hospitable, rich in culture, history and dialect...(much more so in the past, though, and I think probably less than regional differences here....)

At the same time, in my overriding humble opinon, the people gave the impression of being excessively proud or defensive about their lowly status (plus Osakans seemed loud). Which I can understand in a way, since they have been hit on so long by the rest of the country. For sure, Tokyoites who deride its comedic and yakuza influences as 'scary' or 'unsophisticated' are speaking from as much ignorance as Osakans who see Kanto as cold and unfriendly. Both expressions of the culture complement each other and should strive for greater harmony and mutual respect. 😌

So just as a matter of personal preference, the closest analogy for Osaka in America would be to Texans, which I wish you all the luck in the world in MO, while I can say with certainty is a place I could never call home. 😌
 
Funny, I would never equate Osaka with Texas.

But I have always been of the opinion that people from Osaka and people from Tokyo are completely different. I suppose you're right, that it's a necessary complement.

Anyway, it's my bedtime. Catch you later.
 
Good luck, Mikawa! And fair wind. I wish you to find YOUR place

heh, maybe, such examples push me to make a new start. %)
 
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