And so it begins

Happy New Year
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The office closed after work on the 29th and won't reopen again until the fifth. Our editor had us all meet her in 'Bois Cereste' bar in Akasaka. This was my first time there and it had a very European ambiance and made me feel and think of the Côte d'Azur style but I can't tell the difference between France and Belgium. My apologies to any readers from those countries, but it's my inability and not any disrespect to your individual nations. Apparently it is a Belgian bar and has 'Jazz' as it's theme and style since the owner, Masaharu Yamada (not the famous weight lifter) once played jazz Piano in Brussels and so that flavor is reflected all around us and even down to the glasses of 'Stella Artois lager. Ot-oh! Alarm bells ringing in paranoiaville. Are they hinting at the little fact that they know that I'm jazz on the internet?
Not really.
The boss was very nice to us and bought us all a drink and said wonderful things about us and inspired us towards greater things next year. I too want 2009 to be a good year and I hope it is for all of us. Perhaps the measure of it will be the open book review that I hopefully write before we welcome in the New Year 2010. Raise your glass in a toast to the hope of a better year.

Tuesday was just cleaning day as Hitomi and I made our apartment all shiny and bright as we clean out the old year and make ready for the new one. Wednesday night we helped out in the restaurant and made sure everyone had a good time before the countdown, which for us was on the red and white singing contest on the big screens and we watched the white team score a fourth successive victory! Well done again you boys. I predict 2009 to be a girl power year. Hiro and I phoned dad fifteen minutes before the year ended and Hitomi called home. I wished her father a happy New Year and he was kind enough to offer me the same acknowledgment.

After we closed our doors about 2am and cleaned up a little, Hitomi and I drove over to the temple to offer a few prayers. We arrived home just before six went out onto the roof garden and together we witnessed the very first sunrise of this new year. I don't know what time it was before we actually slept but lunch was almost ready when Rina called, we didn't want to miss that.

I hope you all enjoyed your New Year Celebrations and have made resolute your New Year resolution's that you will keep for a few days perhaps before some of you invariably fall back into your usual selves! Ha-ha.
Prove me wrong!

Currently fourth in our music charts, I ask you does the introduction to this song sound French...?



Ai No Mama De - Junko Akimoto (translated lyrics)